proverb · Words worth keeping
Courage is often caused by fear.
Courage is often caused by fear.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying suggests that fear can prompt courage. It presents resolve as a possible response to apprehension rather than its simple absence.
What the words are saying
Often is not a measured frequency here. The supplied gloss says fear spoils courage, which reverses the source’s relation. A qualified reading permits people to act while afraid without requiring them to take risks or making fear responsible for every courageous act.
Everyday example
Someone acknowledges apprehension while choosing a feasible action that serves their values.
When to use it
Use it to explain possible resolve alongside fear with the gloss difference explicit.
What it does not mean
Fear neither guarantees courage nor establishes weakness.
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 948; PDF page 132
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.