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A word once spoken can never be recalled

Meaning: Choose your words carefully, for once said they cannot be unsaid.

Origin: Latin proverb reflected in Horace's Epistles; echoed in English literature since the 16th century.

Translations

  • French: Un mot dit ne peut être repris (literally: A spoken word cannot be taken back)
  • Spanish: Lo dicho, dicho está (literally: What is said is said)
  • Japanese: 口から出た言葉は取り戻せない (Kuchi kara deta kotoba wa torimodosenai) (literally: Words that leave the mouth cannot be retrieved)

More proverbs about Communication

  • Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see — Acts of kindness transcend words and communicate beyond all physical limitations.
  • He who talks much errs much — The more you speak, the more likely you are to make mistakes or say the wrong thing.
  • The tongue is the enemy of the neck — Careless speech can bring serious consequences upon the speaker.
  • A gentle answer turns away wrath — Responding calmly to anger defuses conflict; harsh replies only escalate it.
  • Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt — Staying quiet is often wiser than speaking and confirming your ignorance.
  • Speak little, do much — Let your actions speak louder than your words; promise less and deliver more.

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