It is better to spare at the brim than the bottom.
Meaning: Preventing waste from the start costs less effort than trying to recover what's already been lost or depleted.
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
- Who hath spice enough may season his meat as he pleaseth. — Wealth and resources grant freedom to customize life according to personal preference rat…
- Don't cut your nose off to spite your face. — Self-destructive revenge harms you more than your enemy.
- Who spits against the wind spits in his own face. — Careless antagonism inevitably harms the aggressor more than the intended target.
- Spoil not the ship for a penn'orth of tar. — Neglecting small, inexpensive preventive measures risks losing something far more valuabl…
- Rich men's spots are covered with money. — Wealth allows the privileged to hide their flaws and escape consequences that ordinary pe…
- Throw a sprat to catch a whale. — Small initial sacrifices yield disproportionately larger gains when investments are strat…
From our tongue twisters
- Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut und Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid. — A 'bl' / 'br' brain-twister.
- Trentatré trentini entrarono a Trento tutti e trentatré trotterellando. — An unbroken stampede of 'tr' and 't'.
- 東京特許許可局 (Tōkyō tokkyo kyokakyoku) — A machine-gun of 'kyo' / 'kyoku' sounds.