proverb · Words worth keeping
The world was never so dull but if one won't another will.
The world was never so dull but if one won't another will.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A refusal by one person need not end the search for a willing participant. The saying recognises differences in interest rather than a right to compel agreement.
What the words are saying
The world is pictured as containing another possible response even when one person says no. It can encourage seeking a suitable volunteer or collaborator without personal resentment. It does not guarantee that someone else will accept or justify threatening people with replacement. A useful interpretation asks whether the offer is fair and whether participation remains freely chosen.
Everyday example
An organiser seeks another volunteer after a declined invitation and respects the original person’s decision.
When to use it
Use it to consider voluntary alternatives after a refusal.
What it does not mean
Another willing participant is not guaranteed, and refusal does not justify coercion.
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 1852 · World
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English