proverb · Words worth keeping
A lie has no legs, but scandal has wings.
A lie has no legs, but scandal has wings.
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
An unsupported claim lacks a firm basis, yet damaging gossip can spread rapidly. The contrast between legs and wings highlights the difference between a story’s credibility and the speed with which people repeat it.
What the words are saying
The lie has no legs because it cannot stand securely on evidence. Scandal has wings because an exciting or damaging report can travel from person to person with little delay. Together the images warn that a weak foundation does not stop a story from becoming widely known. Repetition may make a claim familiar without making it true. A useful response is to pause before passing it on and distinguish what is known from what is merely alleged. The saying does not prove that every disturbing report is false. It concerns the ease of circulation, not a substitute for examining the particulars.
Everyday example
A club member checks the original notice before repeating a rumour about a cancellation.
When to use it
Use it when a dramatic claim is spreading faster than its evidence.
What it does not mean
Serious reports deserve examination rather than automatic dismissal.
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_008
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.