proverb · Words worth keeping
A kind word never broke anyone’s mouth.
A kind word never broke anyone’s mouth.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A kind word never breaking a mouth gives considerate speech an image of little cost to the speaker. The saying encourages a generous manner.
What the words are saying
The universal wording is figurative, not a safety guarantee or requirement to speak kindly at any cost. A useful application encourages respectful expression while allowing firm boundaries and honest disagreement. Pleasant wording should not hide harmful conduct or make someone responsible for placating another person.
Everyday example
Someone declines a request respectfully and clearly without abandoning a necessary boundary.
When to use it
Use it to encourage consideration alongside honest limits.
What it does not mean
No safety guarantee or duty to placate through kind wording is established.
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
Ireland
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
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 827; PDF page 74; collection label: Ireland
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- Ireland