Home › Proverbs

He that waits on another man's trencher, makes many a late dinner.

Meaning: Depending on others' generosity for sustenance leaves you hungry and uncertain about when you'll eat.

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

More proverbs about Human Nature

  • You may be a wise man though you cannot make a watch. — Expertise in one domain doesn't diminish wisdom; mastery of mechanics isn't prerequisite…
  • Choose your wife on Saturday, and not on a Sunday. — Marry in everyday circumstances, not during festive occasions when judgment is clouded by…
  • A man's best fortune or his worst is his wife. — A spouse fundamentally shapes one's life trajectory through shared decisions, emotional s…
  • A man cannot both wive and thrive in a year. — Marriage requires sustained attention and resources that conflict with building wealth or…
  • Many go for wool and come back shorn. — Pursuing gain from others often results in losing what you already possess through their…
  • Yorkshire fashion--every man pay his share. — Shared expenses divided equally among all parties, with no one shirking their portion.

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…