proverb · Words worth keeping
Time tries all.
Time tries all.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The passage of time can reveal whether a claim or arrangement remains sound. The saying values observation beyond an initial impression, without making age alone proof of truth or postponing a needed judgement indefinitely.
What the words are saying
Time acts as the examiner in the proverb’s image. In a useful reading, repeated use or changing conditions can show a quality that one early encounter cannot establish. A promise may be checked through what follows, and a method can be assessed through its actual results. But waiting is not a complete test on its own. An old claim can remain unsupported, while a new one may already have strong evidence. The saying encourages a suitable period of observation alongside relevant checks, rather than replacing them with duration or refusing every decision until the entire future has unfolded.
Everyday example
A group reviews whether a new booking process still works after several events rather than judging it only by its smooth first use.
When to use it
Use it when durability or follow-through needs observation over an appropriate period.
What it does not mean
Duration alone does not prove truth; use relevant evidence and make timely decisions when required.
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 1626 · Time
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English
