That's where the laugh comes in.
Meaning: Unexpected humor often emerges from situations that initially seem serious or unfunny to most people.
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 Human Nature
- They laugh the loudest who have least to lose. — Those with nothing at stake can afford uninhibited mirth; real vulnerability silences lau…
- In a thousand pounds of law there's not an ounce of love. — Legal systems, however comprehensive, cannot enforce compassion or genuine human connecti…
- Learning makes a man fit company for himself. — Intellectual cultivation transforms solitude into enriching self-reflection rather than l…
- The liberal man deviseth liberal things. — Generous hearts naturally conceive and pursue generous actions; abundance of spirit beget…
- The loquacity of fools is a warning to the wise. — Excessive talkers reveal their ignorance through their words, providing astute listeners…
- Love lives in cottages as well as in courts. — Genuine affection flourishes regardless of wealth or social status, not confined to palac…
From our tongue twisters
- Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en un trigal. — A relentless run on the 'tr' sound.
- Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische, frische Fische fischt Fischers Fritz. — The German 'f' / 'sch' staple.
- Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa. — A beloved 'c' / 'p' rhythm trap.