proverb · Words worth keeping
Yorkshire fashion—every man pay his share.
Yorkshire fashion—every man pay his share.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Each participant pays an agreed share rather than relying on one person to cover everyone. The regional label belongs to the saying and is not evidence of a universal local custom.
What the words are saying
The expression pictures a gathering where the cost is divided among those taking part. It can encourage clarity about how a shared expense will be met. Equal shares are not always fair if needs, means or agreements differ. A useful application discusses the arrangement beforehand and avoids treating reluctance or limited resources as a fault. The label does not establish where the practice first arose.
Everyday example
Friends agree before a meal how its cost will be divided so that nobody faces an unexpected demand.
When to use it
Use it to clarify an agreed division of shared costs.
What it does not mean
The source’s regional wording is not a verified origin claim, and fair shares need not be identical.
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 1869 · Yorkshire
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English