Land was never lost for want of an heir.
Meaning: Inherited property endures through generations because survival instinct ensures someone always claims and protects valuable resources.
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 Perseverance
- He that doth not lend doth lose his friend. — Refusing to help friends financially may cost you their friendship and trust.
- He would not lend his knife to the devil to stab himself. — Even the self-interested refuse to enable their own destruction, showing that survival in…
- Little boats must keep the shore. — Small vessels risk capsizing in deep waters; the weak survive by avoiding dangerous expos…
- The longest day must have an end. — Even the most difficult or lengthy struggles will eventually conclude if you endure.
- Never leave a friend in the lurch. — Abandoning someone who depends on you damages trust and reveals your character's weakness…
- The master's eye does more work than his hands. — Vigilant oversight and attention accomplish more than physical labor alone.
From our tongue twisters
- Wij smachten naar achtentachtig prachtige nachten. — Five words carrying the Dutch guttural 'cht', the sound foreigners find hardest to produc…
- Liesje leerde Lotje lopen langs de lange Lindelaan. — Eight consecutive l-words, with the vowel behind the l changing every time.
- なまむぎ なまごめ なまたまご (Nama mugi, nama gome, nama tamago) — A nimble warm-up for the Japanese 'na / ma / ge' syllables.