proverb · Words worth keeping
Don't cry over spilled milk.
Don't cry over spilled milk.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying asks someone not to cry over milk already spilled. It encourages attention to what remains possible after an event cannot be undone.
What the words are saying
The lost liquid makes reversal seem unavailable. A responsible application acknowledges emotion before considering a next step; disappointment or grief need not be dismissed as pointless. The original event and its consequences may allow different kinds of response.
Everyday example
Someone acknowledges disappointment and considers whether repair or another approach is still possible.
When to use it
Use it to discuss response after loss without dismissing feelings.
What it does not mean
An irreversible event does not make grief invalid or every response useless.
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 578; PDF page 83
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.