proverb · Words worth keeping
An old doctor, a young lawyer.
An old doctor, a young lawyer.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying prefers an old doctor and a young lawyer. It assigns different age ideals to two professions without explaining the comparison.
What the words are saying
Old and young create a deliberately unequal preference. A careful interpretation identifies that preference rather than inventing evidence about professional competence. Age by itself does not establish the knowledge, judgment or suitability of a practitioner. The useful question is what relevant experience and ability matter in the actual situation.
Everyday example
A reader asks why the saying gives the professions different standards instead of using age alone to evaluate a person.
When to use it
Use it to examine an unexplained pair of professional preferences.
What it does not mean
It is not medical or legal advice and does not verify competence by age.
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
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 438 · Doctor
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English