proverb · Words worth keeping
Where we least think, there goeth the hare away.
Where we least think, there goeth the hare away.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
An outcome or opportunity may emerge in a direction that was not expected. The escaping hare warns against fixing attention too narrowly, without making surprise inevitable or replacing careful observation with random guessing.
Example
A puzzle-solving team keeps trying the obvious route, then notices that an overlooked side panel explains how the pieces connect.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The watchers have an expectation about where the hare will go, but its escape reveals a gap in their attention. Figuratively, an event can develop outside the possibilities a person has been considering. The useful response is to examine what the expectation excluded and what new evidence now shows. This need not mean treating every unlikely possibility as equally important. Some predictions remain well supported, and preparation still matters. The proverb’s animal image expresses the limits of anticipation rather than offering reliable hunting instructions. It encourages openness to an unexpected development without declaring that the least likely outcome is always the one to expect.
When to use it
Use it when an unexpected development exposes an assumption about the available possibilities.
Keep in mind
Surprises vary; broaden attention in response to evidence rather than assuming every expectation must be wrong.
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