Words worth understanding
Start with the thought in plain English. Then explore the imagery, a practical example, when to use it, and what the saying does not mean.
4,000 entries with editorial explanations. The wider collection also contains entries still awaiting an individual interpretation.
proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
A delay does not necessarily cancel an opportunity. Something postponed may remain possible, so distinguish waiting from a definite refusal before deciding how to proceed.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
Some possible loss is not a reason to abandon an undertaking altogether. Compare the likely benefit and available protections with the cost of never starting.
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A difficult situation may still contain something useful or hopeful. Looking for a benefit can help you respond without pretending that the difficulty is good.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
Expecting a complete reward without effort or arrangement is wishful thinking. The ready-roasted birds exaggerate the hope that every necessary step will happen by itself.
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Hoping for miracles without waiting for one separates openness to an extraordinary outcome from reliance on it. The saying encourages action amid uncertainty.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
The saying imagines hard work keeping hunger away. Read it as an ideal of secure livelihood rather than proof that effort alone prevents poverty or need.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
Be cautious about giving up something dependable for an uncertain expectation. Consider what is actually secured and what is only hoped for before treating a possible improvement as an available replacement.
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The saying combines preparation for a bad outcome with hope for a good one. It separates practical planning from the result one wishes for.
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Trouble need not remain continuously at a person’s door. The image leaves room for relief without promising that hardship will vanish on its own.
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A difficulty may become clearer or be resolved through the process meant to address it. The spot and washing invite patient examination, without guaranteeing that every stain or problem will disappear.
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As long as life continues, a worthwhile possibility may remain. The saying encourages perseverance when a person feels that a setback has ended every chance.
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