proverb · Words worth keeping
Keep some till more come.
Keep some till more come.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Keeping a portion of what is available can help bridge the interval before another supply arrives. The saying values continuity, while a reserve is only possible when there is enough to retain and cannot make a future supply certain.
Example
A ceramics class retains enough clay for its remaining booked sessions while the teacher checks when the next order can actually be delivered.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Till more come introduces a gap between the present supply and an expected later one. The instruction to keep some tries to make that interval manageable. In a broad reading, the resource might be material, time or practical capacity. A useful response asks how long the gap may be and what is genuinely needed during it, rather than following a fixed rule without context. Some resources are urgently needed now, and scarcity may leave no spare portion. The proverb should not blame someone for that situation or justify withholding necessities from others. It presents a purpose for a reserve, not a promise that more will arrive or a personalised financial plan.
When to use it
Use it when provision needs to cover a known interval between supplies.
Keep in mind
Reserves depend on available resources; do not withhold necessities or assume the next supply is guaranteed.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their 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
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English