proverb · Words worth keeping
A fault confessed is half redressed.
A fault confessed is half redressed.
In print by 1893 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Acknowledging a fault begins the work of putting it right. Confession can make repair possible, but it does not by itself undo harm or entitle the person responsible to forgiveness.
What the words are saying
A concealed fault leaves other people uncertain about what happened and may prevent a sensible response. Confessing it can establish a starting point for repair: the person responsible accepts that something needs to change. The saying’s half suggests meaningful progress without claiming that the process is finished. What remains may include correcting the error, helping those affected or changing a habit. Admission is useful when it leads to such action, rather than functioning as a substitute for it. The person harmed still has their own perspective and need not offer immediate trust or forgiveness because an apology has been made.
Everyday example
A volunteer admits sending an incorrect timetable, then sends a correction and contacts the people most affected.
When to use it
Use it to encourage honest admission followed by repair.
What it does not mean
Admission does not erase harm or require immediate forgiveness.
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 proverb
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1893 AD · industrial
In print by 1893: recorded in Dictionary of Quotations (1893). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- Dictionary of Quotations (1893) (1893 AD)
Printed citation: Pr. · page_005
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.