
ProverbWisdom
English origin1678
Let every tub stand on its own bottom.
Meaning: Each person must support themselves financially and practically without depending on others' resources.
Origin: A tub that cannot stand on its own bottom falls over. The saying means everyone should be self-supporting and answer for their own affairs. It was already a common proverb when John Bunyan gave it to the complacent character Presumption in The Pilgrim's Progress (1678), who refuses Christian's help with "Every tub must stand upon its own bottom."
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
Keep exploring