proverb · Words worth keeping
There’s nothing like being bespattered for making a man defy the gutter.
There’s nothing like being bespattered for making a man defy the gutter.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Once a person has already accepted a loss or stain, further exposure may feel less costly. That feeling can encourage an escalation whose real consequences still matter.
Example
After overspending once, a traveller keeps the rest of the budget rather than deciding that every further purchase no longer matters.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The person is already splashed with dirt and therefore feels able to brave the gutter. Existing damage changes their attitude toward another muddy step: keeping clean no longer seems possible. The image can describe continuing a bad decision because some loss has already occurred. A useful pause asks what remains worth protecting and whether the next step would make matters worse. The earlier loss does not make every future cost irrelevant. It may still be possible to stop, repair part of the damage or choose a cleaner route from that point onward.
When to use it
Use it to examine escalation after an initial setback.
Keep in mind
Sometimes accepting a small additional cost is sensible. Compare future options rather than judging the decision solely by what has already happened.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional (French-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown