proverb · Words worth keeping
A blind man would be glad to see it.
A blind man would be glad to see it.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying uses an imagined blind person’s wish to see something as praise for it. Its compliment depends on a disability comparison rather than explaining the thing’s merit.
Example
Someone replaces a stock compliment with a description of the craftsmanship that makes an object impressive.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Would be glad heightens appreciation through an extreme imagined contrast. A careful interpretation recognises the rhetorical device without pretending to know what any blind person wants or experiences. If the intended point is admiration, it can be expressed directly by naming what is beautiful, useful or impressive.
When to use it
Use it to examine how exaggerated praise is constructed.
Keep in mind
The comparison should not stand for the experiences or wishes of blind people.
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