proverb · Words worth keeping
It is better to spare at the brim than the bottom.
It is better to spare at the brim than the bottom.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Begin conserving while supplies are plentiful instead of waiting until little remains. The brim and bottom contrast early care with late necessity.
What the words are saying
A full container gives room to choose how a supply will be used, whereas the bottom signals limited options. The saying can encourage proportionate planning during a period of abundance. It does not mean that every resource must be withheld or that helping others is waste. A careful reading balances present needs with foreseeable future use and recognises that some people never have a surplus to conserve.
Everyday example
A group sets aside materials needed for a later commitment before using the rest for an optional activity.
When to use it
Use it to plan future use while a meaningful choice remains.
What it does not mean
Planning does not guarantee security, and people without a surplus cannot simply save one.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1484 · Spare
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English