ProverbMoralityEnglish origin

If fools went not to market, bad ware would not be sold.

Meaning: Foolish buyers create demand for inferior goods, enabling unscrupulous sellers to profit from deception.

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.

Browse all idioms →

Keep exploring

Explore all proverbs →