proverb · Words worth keeping
Accidents will happen.
Accidents will happen.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying expects accidents to occur. It acknowledges unintended events rather than treating every result as fully controlled.
What the words are saying
Will gives the expectation a certainty that the short wording does not quantify. A responsible interpretation can recognise uncertainty without excusing preventable negligence or making preparation pointless. An actual incident still needs its own account of cause and responsibility.
Everyday example
A team reviews an unintended event and identifies what can be improved rather than dismissing it with the phrase.
When to use it
Use it to discuss uncertainty alongside prevention and accountability.
What it does not mean
The phrase does not verify inevitability or excuse neglected precautions.
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 366; PDF page 55
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.