proverb · Words worth keeping
Better to wear out than rust out.
Better to wear out than rust out.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying prefers wearing out to rusting out. It values use or engagement over remaining unused.
What the words are saying
The object metaphor can encourage participation but should not become a demand to work until death. A responsible interpretation recognises rest, retirement and different capacities. The supplied age-based work prescription is not established by the image.
Everyday example
Someone chooses a meaningful activity while respecting their need for rest and their own limits.
When to use it
Use it to discuss engagement without compulsory exhaustion.
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What it does not mean
No duty to work until death or proof that rest is harmful 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
- 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 736; PDF page 106
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.