An honest man's word is as good as his bond.

Meaning: Integrity without documentation suffices; trustworthy character renders formal guarantees unnecessary.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Communication

• Words are like weights, gravity gives them effect. — Heavy words gain power through the seriousness of their context and the consequences they…
• A word is enough to the wise. — The wise person needs only minimal guidance to understand and act on good advice.
• Words spoken in an evening the wind carrieth away. — Careless evening talk dissolves into irrelevance like dispersed wind, so thoughtless word…
• Fair words will not keep a cat from starving. — Flattery and pleasant speech cannot substitute for concrete necessities like food and sur…
• Good words cool more than cold water. — Kind speech soothes anger and distress more effectively than external comfort ever could.
• Good words fill not a sack. — Eloquent speech alone cannot sustain you; you need material provisions and practical acti…

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…