proverb · Legacy record
An ounce of proof is worth a ton of assertions.
An ounce of proof is worth a ton of assertions.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A small amount of proof outweighing many assertions contrasts evidence with repeated claims. The saying values support over volume.
What the words are saying
The weight comparison is rhetorical rather than a literal evidential formula. A useful application checks the quality, relevance and limits of the evidence instead of assuming any item called proof settles a question. Numerous claims may point to evidence, but repetition alone does not establish them.
Everyday example
A reader asks what supports a repeated claim and examines the relevant evidence rather than its frequency.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish evidential support from assertion volume.
Put a useful idea into practice: try the free seven-day guide ↗
What it does not mean
No fixed evidence ratio or automatic certainty from a small item of alleged proof 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 117; PDF page 18; collection label: United States
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- United States