Few people are out of the reach of slander.
Meaning: Most individuals lack sufficient obscurity or virtue to escape false accusations and malicious gossip.
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
- Slander leaves a score behind it. — Spoken harm creates lasting damage that the victim carries long after the words fade.
- One hour's sleep before midnight is worth two hours after. — Early sleep aligns with natural circadian rhythms, making pre-midnight rest more restorat…
- There is sleeping enough in the grave. — Excessive rest now wastes precious living time that death will eventually steal forever.
- Sloth turneth the edge of wit. — Idleness dulls intellectual sharpness, leaving the mind unable to cut through problems ef…
- Sloth is the mother of poverty. — Idleness breeds want because accumulated inaction prevents accumulation of resources or o…
- Better are small fish than an empty dish. — Modest sustenance surpasses pride's hunger; accept what you have rather than starve waiti…
From our idioms
- get to the point — To speak or write concisely and directly.
- get-up-and-go — Physical energy.
- get up on the wrong side of the bed — To be in a bad mood from the beginning of the day.