The evil wound is cured, but not the evil name.
The evil wound is cured, but not the evil name.
Meaning in plain English
A damaged reputation may outlast the original injury or event. The saying contrasts recovery with the persistence of a bad name, while its absolute wording should not deny repair, presume blame or suggest that a reputation can never change.
Example
A club corrects an old notice that wrongly described a volunteer’s departure, recognising that the copied description is still shaping new members’ impressions.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The proverb sets a wound that is cured beside a name that remains troubled. Figuratively, an event can leave a social description behind after its immediate effects have changed. The useful question is whether a judgement is still supported by present evidence or simply repeated because it has become familiar. Reputation can also change through correction, accountability and new experience, so the saying’s contrast is too final as a prediction. A bad name may be undeserved in the first place. The image should encourage fairness about enduring labels, not give people permission to keep using them or make an individual responsible for another person’s rumour.
When to use it
Use it when an old label is persisting after the circumstances or evidence have changed.
Keep in mind
Reputations can be corrected; a repeated label is not proof of fault, and the wound image is not medical guidance.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 510 · Evil name
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗