proverb · Words worth keeping
Speak fair and think what you will.
Speak fair and think what you will.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Courteous speech can coexist with private disagreement. The saying separates how a thought is expressed from the thought itself.
What the words are saying
Speaking fair suggests a considerate manner, while thinking what one will leaves room for independent judgment. It can encourage civility without requiring everyone to agree. It should not make deception or empty reassurance a virtue. A useful application combines honest disagreement with a form that does not needlessly insult or expose someone. The question is how to communicate truthfully and appropriately, not how to hide every concern.
Everyday example
Someone disagrees with a proposal and explains their reasons calmly instead of using a personal insult.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish courteous expression from compulsory agreement.
What it does not mean
Courtesy should not become deception or conceal a concern that needs to be addressed.
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 1490 · Speak
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English