Out of sight, out of mind
Meaning: We tend to forget things or people we don't see.
Origin: The thought appears in The Imitation of Christ, the 15th-century devotional book by Thomas à Kempis, in a meditation on death: once a man is out of sight, he is quickly out of mind. The English saying now covers any person or problem forgotten as soon as it is no longer in view.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and Italian
- French: Loin des yeux, loin du cœur (literally: Far from the eyes, far from the heart)
- Spanish: Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente (literally: Eyes that don't see, heart that doesn't feel)
- Japanese: 去る者日々に疎し (Saru mono hibi ni utoshi) (literally: Those who leave become distant day by day)
- German: Aus den Augen, aus dem Sinn (literally: Out of the eyes, out of the mind)
- Italian: Assenza nemica di amore; quanto lontan dall’occhio, tanto dal cuore (literally: Absence is a foe to love; out of sight out of mind)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- A cat has nine lives — Cats (or resilient people) survive many dangerous situations.
- All's fair in love and war — Normal rules don't apply in romance or conflict.
- A friend in need is a friend indeed — True friends show their worth during difficult times.
- The squeaky wheel gets replaced — Constant complainers may be removed rather than accommodated.
- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — Perception of beauty is subjective and personal.
- The bigger they are, the harder they fall — Powerful people suffer greater consequences when they fail.
From our idioms
- Helaas, pindakaas — Too bad, nothing can be done about it.
- Nu komt de aap uit de mouw — The truth is finally revealed.
- Met de deur in huis vallen — To get straight to the point without any preamble.