ProverbHuman Nature
English origin
English originFaint praise is disparagement.
Meaning: Subtle compliments delivered without genuine enthusiasm become insults through their very coolness.
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.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- Fauché comme les blés Completely broke.
- S'inscrire en faux To formally deny something and challenge its truth.
- Cherchez la femme There is a woman behind this somewhere.
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