proverb · Words worth keeping
You may truss up all his wit in an egg-shell.
You may truss up all his wit in an egg-shell.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying insults someone by imagining all their wit fitting into an eggshell. It claims very little understanding without providing evidence of that judgment.
What the words are saying
The tiny container makes the dismissal memorable. A critical reading can ask whether a specific argument or action lacked thought, instead of accepting a sweeping insult about the person. Knowledge and ability vary by task, and mockery does not show what went wrong. A useful discussion names the error and the opportunity to learn rather than treating someone as permanently incapable.
Everyday example
A reviewer explains a mistaken assumption in a proposal instead of dismissing its author with an insult about intelligence.
When to use it
Use it critically to distinguish a specific error from a demeaning label.
What it does not mean
An insult is not evidence of ability or worth.
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 1813 · Wit
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English