proverb · Words worth keeping
A praying drunkard is an ugly thing.
A praying drunkard is an ugly thing.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying calls a praying drunkard ugly. It places a disparaging judgment on a combination of prayer and drunkenness.
What the words are saying
A responsible explanation identifies the condemnation without defining a person’s dignity through intoxication, dependence or appearance. The precise traditional concern is not independently verified, so hypocrisy or a particular religious rule should not be invented. The phrase provides no diagnosis or advice about treatment.
Everyday example
A reader questions the disparaging label rather than using it to deny someone respect or access to support.
When to use it
Use it critically with the condemnation and context uncertainty explicit.
What it does not mean
No clinical diagnosis, lost dignity or verified religious prohibition 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 wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 148; PDF page 19; collection label: United States
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- United States