The nearer the bone the sweeter the meat.
The nearer the bone the sweeter the meat.
Meaning in plain English
The saying values meat close to the bone. As an explicit analogy, it can suggest that something less showy or easily reached may still be especially rewarding.
Example
A reader pays attention to a brief note at the end of a document and finds a detail the prominent summary omitted.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Nearness to the bone makes the valued part seem bound up with what is usually left behind. A figurative reading can ask whether convenience or appearance has obscured something worth attention. The source itself gives a culinary preference, so a broader lesson should be identified as an analogy rather than a verified original intention.
When to use it
Use it as a stated analogy about overlooked value.
Keep in mind
The preference is not universal, and the figurative application is editorial.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-04. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 144 · Bone
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 ↗