Muffled cats are bad mousers.
Meaning: Silence and caution disable the very instincts needed for effective action.
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 Morality
- Make a virtue of necessity. — When circumstances force action, find dignity and purpose in accepting what you cannot av…
- Neighbour-quart is good quart. — Buying locally from neighbors costs less in travel and effort than sourcing goods from di…
- Pleasing ware is half sold. — Attractive presentation and packaging persuade customers more effectively than quality al…
- After rain comes fair weather. — Hardship is temporary; patience through difficulty leads naturally to better conditions.
- Good servants make good masters. — Those who understand subordinate roles develop empathy and humility when they gain author…
- Who sings drives away care. — Singing actively displaces worry by occupying the mind with melody rather than anxious th…
From our compliments & insults
- C'est une vraie chèvre — They're hopelessly stubborn and infuriating — a goat that refuses to be moved.
- Casse-pieds — A massive bore or pain in the neck — someone who wears you down with their irritating way…
- Espèce de patate — You dim bulb — a potato being the very picture of inert, unthinking stodginess.