ProverbWisdomEnglish origin

A little mischief is too much.

Meaning: Even small wrongdoings corrupt character and inevitably lead to greater transgressions if left unchecked.

Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.

Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters

Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.

Browse all tongue twisters →

Keep exploring

Explore all proverbs →