proverb · Traditional
A dull pencil is greater than the sharpest memory.
The saying ranks a dull pencil above the sharpest memory. It values making a record over relying entirely on recollection.
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What does it mean?
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.
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6 matching explanations
proverb · Traditional
An elephant never forgets.
The saying gives an elephant a memory that never fails. It uses an animal image to praise exceptionally strong recollection.
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Forgiving is not forgetting.
Forgiving distinguished from forgetting separates a chosen response to a wrong from erasing its memory. The saying allows remembrance alongside release.
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Pronounce the name of the dead; that way, make him live again.
Naming a dead person said to make them live again gives remembrance a vivid restorative image. The saying values keeping a person present in speech or memory.
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Seldom seen, soon forgotten.
Someone or something encountered infrequently may slip from active attention. The saying warns about neglected contact or reminders, without proving that absence destroys affection, memory or the value of a relationship.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
The mortar always smells of the garlic.
The mortar retains a trace of what it has held. The garlic image suggests that past use can leave an impression, without proving that people or situations can never change.
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