proverb · Source-linked selection
Don’t stop the way of a bull or of a current of air.
Don’t stop the way of a bull or of a current of air.
In print by 1857 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Some forces are better given room than confronted directly. The bull and current of air invite attention to position and approach, without providing safety instructions or requiring surrender whenever resistance is difficult.
What the words are saying
The two images ask the listener to leave a way open rather than stand in it. Figuratively, a forceful situation may call for stepping aside, changing position or choosing another approach instead of direct opposition. Consider what can realistically be influenced and what outcome matters. The saying does not explain how to handle a bull or assess ventilation, and it should not be treated as practical safety advice. Nor does it establish that every powerful demand deserves compliance. The useful contrast is between an effective response and an unexamined urge to block.
Everyday example
A discussion facilitator pauses an escalating exchange and changes the format instead of trying to overpower both speakers with a louder voice.
When to use it
Use it to consider whether repositioning or another approach would be more effective than direct confrontation.
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What it does not mean
This is figurative commentary, not animal or environmental safety guidance; stepping aside does not imply accepting wrongdoing.
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 (Spanish-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1857 AD · industrial
In print by 1857: recorded in A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857) (1857 AD)
Printed page 198; Spanish section, paragraph 4122; source wording: Al toro y al aire, darles calle.
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.