Money has no smell.
Money has no smell.
Meaning in plain English
The saying gives money no smell. As a wider claim, it separates an amount’s usefulness from judgments about where it came from.
Example
A reader considers the source of a benefit instead of treating its usefulness as the whole ethical question.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The sensory image makes origin seem unable to affect value. A critical application can question that separation rather than erase responsibility for how resources were obtained. The phrase does not establish a legal rule or endorse concealing wrongdoing.
When to use it
Use it to examine the proposed separation of value from origin.
Keep in mind
Usefulness does not excuse wrongdoing or remove responsibility for a resource’s origin.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 355; PDF page 54
Reuse and collection notes ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · supplied collection
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Contributor-confirmed reuse permission
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗
Word-matched topics