proverb · Words worth keeping
'Tis pity fair weather should do any harm.
'Tis pity fair weather should do any harm.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Even apparently pleasant conditions may have an unwanted effect. The saying expresses regret that what seems favourable can still create difficulty.
What the words are saying
Fair weather is expected to be welcome, making harm from it seem especially unfortunate. This can encourage looking beyond an immediate favourable impression to the needs of a particular task. It does not establish a specific meteorological effect or imply that every good condition conceals harm. A useful reading considers who benefits and who may face a different consequence.
Everyday example
A group notices that a change welcomed by some participants makes another part of the task more difficult and discusses both effects.
When to use it
Use it to question a single account of what makes conditions good.
What it does not mean
The saying does not identify or verify a particular weather-related harm.
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 1740 · Weather
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English