A little pot is soon hot.
Meaning: Small things heat quickly, so modest people reach their limit of patience or emotion faster than those with greater capacity.
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.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Poverty is the mother of health. — Lack of resources forces people to walk more, eat simply, and avoid excess indulgence.
- True praise takes root and spreads. — Genuine compliments, like seeds, gain momentum and influence others' perceptions through…
- Neither praise nor dispraise thyself, thine actions serve the turn. — Your deeds speak louder than self-promotion or self-deprecation; let accomplishments prov…
- Old praise dies, unless you feed it. — Reputation requires constant reinforcement; past accomplishments fade without continued e…
- Prate is but prate; 'tis money buys land. — Mere talk accomplishes nothing; only concrete wealth and resources achieve real, lasting…
- He that would learn to pray let him go to sea. — Facing life's uncontrollable forces reveals humanity's powerlessness and awakens genuine…
From our compliments & insults
- ¡Qué cara más dura! — You've got incredible nerve and cheek — the audacity is almost impressive.
- Es un/una pesado/a — A dreadful bore — their company feels like carrying extra weight.
- Más terco/a que una mula — Hopelessly obstinate — no argument, fact, or force of nature will shift their position.