proverb · Words worth keeping
He that will not stoop for a pin, shall never be worth a point.
He that will not stoop for a pin, shall never be worth a point.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Attention to a small useful resource can be part of responsible care. Stooping for a pin makes modest effort visible, while the sweeping judgment about worth needs restraint.
What the words are saying
The saying connects neglect of a tiny object with failure to acquire something greater. It can encourage noticing useful details that are easy to dismiss. It should not make constant scavenging a duty or imply that a person’s worth depends on collecting every item. A careful reading asks whether the object is useful, safely accessible and worth the effort in this situation.
Everyday example
A team keeps a useful spare fitting with its tools rather than discarding it merely because it is small.
When to use it
Use it to recognise a modest, worthwhile act of care for resources.
What it does not mean
Small items do not all deserve preservation, and thrift does not determine personal worth.
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 1245 · Pin
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English