Lose nothing for asking.
Lose nothing for asking.
Meaning in plain English
A reasonable request may open an opportunity that remains closed if you never ask. The possibility of refusal need not prevent a polite enquiry.
Example
A learner asks whether a workshop has a waiting list instead of assuming the full booking page means there is no way to attend.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The saying lowers the imagined cost of asking for information, help or a chance. Someone may assume an answer is no without checking, losing an option that could have been available. A clear, respectful question can replace that assumption with something known. Nothing is an encouraging exaggeration: requests can take time, reveal information or affect a relationship, so the circumstances still matter. The proverb works best for a proportionate enquiry that leaves the other person free to decline. It is not permission to repeat pressure after a clear answer or expect a favour as an entitlement.
When to use it
Use it to encourage a respectful enquiry when someone is ruling themselves out without checking.
Keep in mind
Asking can have costs, and a refusal should be respected rather than met with repeated pressure.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-03. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 44 · Asking
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗