If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck
Meaning: When multiple observable qualities align, trust the evidence rather than disputing the apparent nature of something.
Origin: The "duck test," a form of reasoning from obvious evidence. The poet James Whitcomb Riley may have coined an early version, and a union leader, Emil Mazey, used it in 1946. The U.S. ambassador to Guatemala, Richard Cunningham Patterson Jr., popularized it in 1950 when accusing that country's government of communism.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- If you can't beat them, eat them — When victory is impossible, consume the problem literally or metaphorically to eliminate…
- If you mess with the bull, you get the horns — Confronting a dangerous opponent directly invites predictable retaliation.
- In unity, there is strength — Individual efforts pale against coordinated action; collective power overcomes obstacles…
- It is a wise child that knows his own father — A version, “it is a wise father that knows his own child” (spelling modernized), is used…
- It's a long road that has no turning — The current situation is bound to change eventually.
- It's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission — Acting boldly without approval often succeeds, while seeking permission invites rejection…
From our idioms
- น้ำขึ้นให้รีบตัก — Seize an opportunity while it lasts.
- ชักแม่น้ำทั้งห้า — To give a long-winded, roundabout justification before getting to the point.
- Đứng núi này trông núi nọ — Never satisfied with what you have; the grass is always greener.