One may think that dares not speak.
Meaning: Silent thoughts remain powerless; voicing ideas, however risky, gives them potential force and influence.
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 Communication
- Think twice before you speak once. — Hasty words cause irreversible harm; deliberation before speaking prevents regret and mis…
- Think much, speak little, and write less. — Excessive speech and writing scatter thought; silence preserves wisdom's clarity and powe…
- Thrifty men are fond of thrifty sayings. — Those already practicing frugality naturally gravitate toward advice reinforcing their es…
- Thunder in December foretells fine weather. — Winter storms pass quickly, leaving clear skies; turbulence doesn't persist into lasting…
- A man may hold his tongue in an ill time. — Silence during conflict or crisis preserves safety and dignity better than speaking in an…
- Confine your tongue, lest it confine you. — Careless speech invites consequences that restrict your freedom far more than silence eve…
From our compliments & insults
- Courir sur le haricot — To get badly on someone's nerves.
- Tienes menos luces que un barco pirata — You're really not the brightest.
- Eres más lento que el caballo del malo — You're painfully slow — the villain's horse never catches the hero.