proverb · Source-linked selection
He that goes far from home for a wife, either intends to cheat or will be cheated.
He that goes far from home for a wife, either intends to cheat or will be cheated.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying expresses suspicion about seeking a spouse far from home. Its claim that deception must follow is a stereotype to question rather than a reliable warning.
What the words are saying
Distance is made evidence that someone intends to deceive or will be deceived. A critical interpretation exposes that unsupported leap. Relationships across places can be honest, while local familiarity does not guarantee trust. A useful concern would be how well people know each other, whether claims are supported and whether consent is informed, without treating origin or travel as proof of character.
Everyday example
Partners from different places learn about each other honestly instead of accepting an acquaintance’s claim that distance makes the relationship deceptive.
When to use it
Use it critically to examine distrust based only on distance or unfamiliarity.
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What it does not mean
Geography does not establish honesty, deception or the quality of a partnership.
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
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1760 · Wife
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English