Love and lordship never like friendship.
Love and lordship never like friendship.
Meaning in plain English
A wish to possess or rule can interfere with friendship. The saying invites scrutiny of exclusivity and power in relationships rather than treating them as unavoidable.
Example
A leader expects personal loyalty to replace honest friendship, and a colleague explains why disagreement must remain possible.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Love and lordship are given a shared reluctance to accept friendship. The pairing can describe a person who sees another bond as a threat to affection or authority. It does not show that love and friendship are incompatible. A careful interpretation concerns possessive love and unequal power, especially when they discourage honest companionship. The useful question is whether a relationship leaves room for mutual respect and other freely chosen connections.
When to use it
Use it to discuss a bond in which exclusivity or power crowds out friendship.
Keep in mind
Affection can coexist with friendship; this is not a rule about every relationship.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-04. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 648 · Friendship
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗
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