proverb · Words worth keeping
Don’t cry over spilt milk.
Don’t cry over spilt milk.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying discourages crying over milk already spilled. It asks for attention to what can still be done after an irreversible loss.
What the words are saying
The spilled liquid makes undoing the event seem unavailable. A careful reading distinguishes dwelling on an unchangeable detail from legitimate grief, reflection or repair. It should not dismiss feelings or assume that all consequences are fixed simply because the original event cannot be reversed.
Everyday example
Someone acknowledges disappointment and then considers what practical response remains possible.
When to use it
Use it to discuss a next step after loss without dismissing emotion.
What it does not mean
Feeling upset is not itself useless, and consequences may still be addressed.
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 433; PDF page 64
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.