Nobody can serve two masters.
Nobody can serve two masters.
Meaning in plain English
The saying denies that a person can serve two masters. It pictures competing demands as incompatible loyalties.
Example
Someone identifies two incompatible instructions and seeks clarification before promising both results.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Two masters gives conflict a concrete authority relationship. A qualified wider application can concern commitments that demand contradictory actions. The phrase does not prove that all multiple roles conflict or that a person must accept a master’s authority.
When to use it
Use it to discuss actual conflicts between commitments.
Keep in mind
Multiple responsibilities are not always incompatible, and authority is not automatically justified.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
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Supplied reference A; unit 181; PDF page 30
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