proverb · Words worth keeping
Pocket an injury.
Pocket an injury.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
To pocket an injury is to swallow an offence without answering it openly. That restraint can sometimes prevent an unnecessary quarrel, but the phrase should not require concealing harm or tolerating repeated mistreatment.
Example
A participant lets a minor accidental interruption pass during a busy discussion, then asks for a clearer speaking order if the interruptions continue.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Pocket suggests putting the offence away rather than displaying a response to it. In this expression, injury is interpreted as a wrong or affront, not as an instruction for dealing with a physical wound. The short phrase can describe choosing not to retaliate over a slight. It does not establish that silence is always wise or that an unspoken problem has been resolved. A person may reasonably raise a concern, record what happened or seek support. The useful question is whether declining an immediate answer serves their purpose, rather than whether they can absorb every offence without anyone noticing.
When to use it
Use it cautiously to describe choosing not to answer a minor offence immediately.
Keep in mind
Do not conceal harm or insist on silence about repeated mistreatment; the phrase is not physical-injury guidance.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their 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
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English