proverb · Words worth keeping
Though good be good yet better carries it.
Though good be good yet better carries it.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
An acceptable option can still be surpassed by a better one. The saying encourages comparison beyond mere adequacy, while leaving room for the costs of change and the practical value of something already good enough.
Example
A group compares two workable meeting rooms and chooses the one with easier access when the booking conditions are otherwise similar.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The first good is not dismissed as bad; it loses preference when something better is available. In a useful reading, an initial solution can meet the requirements while another serves the purpose more effectively. Comparing them needs a clear account of what better means: easier access, a clearer explanation or a more dependable arrangement. Improvement is not the same as novelty. Nor must every working solution be replaced whenever a minor advantage appears. The saying invites a reasoned comparison, including the work of changing, rather than endless dissatisfaction with anything that falls short of an imagined perfect option.
When to use it
Use it when an adequate option has a relevant and practicable improvement.
Keep in mind
Define the improvement and consider change costs; good enough may still be appropriate.
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