the dogs bark, but the caravan moves on
Meaning: Let critics complain; one carries on regardless.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The reviews were brutal, but the director just said, "The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on."”
Category: Animals
Origin: A proverb from the Middle East and Central Asia, found in Arabic, Turkish and Persian. It entered English as a borrowed saying, and has been famously quoted by politicians brushing off criticism.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Les chiens aboient et la caravane passe — literally: The dogs bark and the caravan passes
More idioms — Animals
- neither fish nor fowl — Something that fits into no clear category.
- give free rein — To give someone complete freedom to act.
- like a bat out of hell — Extremely fast.
- a snake-oil salesman — A swindler who sells fake remedies or worthless solutions.
- pipped at the post — To be beaten at the very last moment.
- a nest of vipers — A group of people who scheme against or betray each other.
More English idioms
- drain the cup to the dregs — To endure a hardship or humiliation to the very end.
- the icing on the cake — An extra good thing added to something already good.
- only have eyes for — To be interested in or attracted to one person only.
- lose sleep over — To worry a lot about something.
- like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic — Doing something pointless while a disaster happens.
- shoot oneself in the foot — To damage one's own interests through a foolish action.