One ill word asketh another.
One ill word asketh another.
Meaning in plain English
A hurtful remark can provoke another and start an escalating exchange. Notice when a reply is adding to the conflict instead of addressing the matter that caused it.
Example
When a discussion turns into personal jabs, a participant stops replying in kind and asks to return to the specific scheduling disagreement.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Asketh means calls for or invites in the proverb’s sequence. One ill word can make a sharp answer feel justified, and that answer may invite another in turn. The saying describes a pattern of escalation rather than making an insult a requirement to retaliate. A pause, a clear boundary or a return to the actual issue may interrupt it. It does not place equal responsibility on everyone involved or tell a harmed person to remain silent. Its useful question is whether the next words protect a legitimate need or simply continue a cycle of injury.
When to use it
Use it to recognise and interrupt a cycle of retaliatory remarks.
Keep in mind
Setting a firm boundary or naming harm is not the same as adding a needless insult; responsibility may be unequal.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 850 · Ill word
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 ↗