Cowardice is afraid to be known or seen.
Meaning: Fear of exposure reveals cowardice itself—the truly brave face scrutiny without shame.
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 Wisdom
- The greatest crabs are not always the best meat. — Size alone doesn't guarantee quality; assess substance beneath surface appearances.
- He must crack the nut that would eat the kernel. — Effort and perseverance are necessary prerequisites; you cannot enjoy rewards without end…
- To a crazy ship all winds are contrary. — A disoriented mind finds obstacles everywhere, even when circumstances remain favorable.
- The worst wheel of a cart creaks most. — The most damaged or weakest part of any system draws attention and creates problems dispr…
- Credit lost is a Venice glass broken. — Once trust in your reliability shatters, it cannot be perfectly restored, only roughly me…
- Critics are like brushers of other men's clothes. — Critics remove surface blemishes from others' work while remaining invisible to their own…
From our untranslatable words
- 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.
- Tartle — That panicky pause when you go to introduce someone and realize you've forgotten their na…