proverb · Words worth keeping
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying calls a little knowledge dangerous. It warns that partial understanding may be mistaken for enough understanding to act confidently.
What the words are saying
Little does not identify an amount or subject. A useful application asks what remains unknown and whether further checking is needed. It should not discourage beginners from learning or assume that limited knowledge always causes harm; the issue is how a person uses it.
Everyday example
A learner recognises the limits of an introductory explanation before applying it to a complex task.
When to use it
Use it to discuss the limits of partial understanding.
What it does not mean
Beginning to learn is not inherently dangerous, and no particular harm 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
United States
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 proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 167; PDF page 28
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.