A nod is as good as a wink
Meaning: Can be understood without further explanation.
Origin: Short for "A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse," the only form found in print from 1740 until the 19th century trimmed it. To a blind horse, neither signal means anything; in everyday use the phrase flips to mean that a hint is enough — no need to spell it out.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- A stick in a bundle cannot be broken — Unity provides strength; individual elements easily fractured become resilient when bound…
- Bet the jockey, not the horse — Success depends on the skill and judgment of the person executing the plan, not the tools…
- Caesar's wife must be above suspicion — After the trial, Caesar divorced Pompeia, and when questioned said “my wife ought not eve…
- Can't live with them, can't live without them — Close relationships require tolerating incompatibility because isolation from others is u…
- Christmas comes but once a year — Rare opportunities demand we cherish them fully rather than postpone joy or neglect what…
- Cool heads must prevail — Rational thinking, not emotional impulse, resolves conflicts and prevents disaster.
From our untranslatable words
- Waldeinsamkeit — The serene, faintly mystical feeling of being alone in the woods, at peace with nature.
- Meriggiare — To take a quiet midday rest in a cool, shaded spot, escaping the fierce afternoon sun.
- Backpfeifengesicht — A face that is just begging to be slapped — someone so smug you can't help the urge.