proverb · Words worth keeping
A Wise Old Owl.
A Wise Old Owl.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The phrase pictures a wise old owl as a figure of cleverness or judgment. It combines age and an animal image in a compact compliment.
What the words are saying
Wise names the quality attributed to the person, not a tested property of all owls. A useful application can explain the praise while still asking what conduct supports it. Age or a familiar symbol alone does not establish knowledge.
Everyday example
A speaker uses the phrase to compliment a thoughtful decision and explains what made the decision helpful.
When to use it
Use it to explain figurative praise with attention to actual judgment.
What it does not mean
No owl-intelligence rule or wisdom guaranteed by age is verified.
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
- Not established
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 290; PDF page 45
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.