A man cannot live by the air.
Meaning: No one survives on nothing; real sustenance, not mere hope, is required.
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 Human Nature
- Every man must eat a peck of ashes before he dies. — Everyone must swallow their share of hardship before they die.
- Bachelors' wives and maids' children are always well taught. — Unmarried people confidently advise on parenting despite lacking the humbling reality of…
- He is most loved that hath most bags. — Wealth attracts companionship more reliably than virtue or character ever will.
- Better be a beggar than a fool. — Poverty with dignity and sense surpasses the shame of foolish wealth or status.
- A blind man would be glad to see it. — Even the most limited or deprived person would be grateful for what others take for grant…
- The best horse needs breaking, and the best child needs teaching. — Even the most naturally gifted require discipline and guidance to develop their potential…