Agree, for law is costly.
Agree, for law is costly.
Meaning in plain English
A settlement may avoid the expense and strain of a prolonged dispute. The proverb favours agreement where it is fair and workable, without making cost a reason to abandon protection, accountability or a legitimate claim.
Example
Two neighbours discuss a shared repair schedule and record their agreement instead of continuing an argument about who should organise the work.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The short instruction to agree gives cost as its reason. In this reading, a dispute can consume resources that the parties might otherwise use to resolve the underlying problem. Agreement deserves consideration when the terms address their concerns and can be accepted freely. The saying does not establish which person is right, what a legal process will cost, or whether any particular settlement is suitable. Unequal power can make a cheap-looking compromise unfair. Its useful question is whether a workable resolution is being overlooked, rather than whether someone should surrender a claim simply because pursuing it would involve effort or expense.
When to use it
Use it when a fair, voluntary agreement could resolve a dispute without prolonging it.
Keep in mind
Cost alone does not determine fairness; protection and accountability may require a formal process.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-04. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 17 · Agree
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗