proverb · Words worth keeping
One man may better steal a horse than another look over the hedge.
One man may better steal a horse than another look over the hedge.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
People may be judged unequally for comparable or even very different actions. The horse theft and glance over a hedge expose favouritism in who is condemned.
What the words are saying
The larger wrong is imagined to meet less resistance than a harmless-looking act by someone else. This can criticise status, reputation or prejudice determining how conduct is treated. It does not prove that every comparison is unfair: facts and responsibilities can differ. A careful reading asks which differences are relevant and whether the same standards are being applied to the conduct itself.
Everyday example
A group questions why a favoured member’s serious breach is excused while another person is reprimanded for a minor mistake.
When to use it
Use it to examine inconsistent judgment or unequal treatment.
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What it does not mean
Fair comparison requires attention to the actual facts, not only the apparent size of each act.
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
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1523 · Steal
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English