A small leak will sink a great ship.
Meaning: Neglecting minor problems allows them to compound into catastrophic failures that destroy even the mightiest enterprises.
Origin: Benjamin Franklin used it in The Way to Wealth (1758), warning that small expenses add up: "Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship."
More proverbs about Challenge
- Life is full of hazards, which experience neither bought nor taught will always enable us to foresee. — Unforeseen dangers inevitably confront us despite accumulated wisdom and formal education.
- The lion's not half so fierce as he's painted. — Fearsome reputations often exceed reality; appearance and hearsay exaggerate actual dange…
- Little and often fills the purse. — Consistent small savings accumulate into substantial wealth more reliably than sporadic l…
- All lay load on the willing horse. — People exploit those who readily help, burdening them beyond fair limits due to their com…
- The devil's children have the devil's luck. — Mischievous or wicked people often succeed through audacity and circumstance rather than…
- Man doth what he can, and God what He will. — Effort and intention matter, yet outcomes ultimately depend on forces beyond human contro…
From our false friends
- Lectura — Actually means 'reading'. A lecture is una conferencia.
- Compromiso — Actually means 'commitment', 'obligation', or 'engagement'. For a negotiated compromise,…
- Gracioso — Actually means 'funny' or 'amusing'. For gracious (kind and polite), say amable.