proverb · Words worth keeping
Words are but wind, But blows unkind.
Words are but wind, But blows unkind.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying contrasts speech with physical harm, treating words as passing and blows as cruel. That contrast needs correction because words can also cause lasting harm.
What the words are saying
Wind makes speech seem insubstantial beside a blow. It can discourage answering an insult with violence, but it should not minimise threats, harassment or damaging false claims. A careful reading opposes physical aggression while taking harmful speech seriously. The useful response depends on what was said, its effects and what protection or correction is needed, not simply on whether anyone was struck.
Everyday example
Someone refuses to answer an insult with a blow while documenting a continuing pattern of harassment and seeking appropriate support.
When to use it
Use it to reject violence without dismissing harm caused by words.
What it does not mean
Verbal harm can be serious; absence of a blow does not make conduct harmless.
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 1838 · Words and blows
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English