proverb · Words worth keeping
No man is ever whipped until he quits in his own mind.
No man is ever whipped until he quits in his own mind.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying postpones defeat until someone gives up inwardly. It treats determination as decisive in continuing an undertaking.
What the words are saying
Ever makes the claim absolute and whipped is a defeat image rather than an instruction. A responsible explanation recognises resolve without denying external limits or blaming a person who stops. Rest, revision or withdrawal may be appropriate, and persistence does not guarantee success.
Everyday example
Someone considers a suitable next step while retaining permission to stop an unworkable attempt.
When to use it
Use it to discuss resolve with external limits acknowledged.
What it does not mean
Stopping is not proof of low worth, and determination does not guarantee victory.
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
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 777; PDF page 111
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.