The empty leech sucks sore.
Meaning: A desperate, unfulfilled person causes more harm than one already satisfied.
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 Wisdom
- Liars have short wings. — Deceit collapses quickly because falsehoods cannot sustain flight or escape scrutiny long…
- Too much liberty spoils all. — Unlimited freedom without restraint breeds chaos; boundaries enable flourishing.
- While there's life there's hope. — Despair closes doors only death truly opens; circumstances remain changeable while breath…
- Every light has its shadow. — Visibility and prominence inevitably create darkness elsewhere; success or advantage alwa…
- Little bodies have large souls. — Children possess emotional depth and moral capacity that rivals or exceeds that of adults…
- Little things please little minds. — Petty concerns and simple pleasures satisfy those with narrow interests and limited intel…
From our tongue twisters
- غاب الغيم وغابت غابة الغاب. (Ghāb al-ghaym wa ghābat ghābat al-ghāb.) — An unbroken sequence of 'gh' (غ) — a voiced uvular fricative that drills the back of the…
- Khadak Singh ke khadakne se khadakti hain khidkiyan, khidkiyon ke khadakne se khadakte hain Khadak Singh. — A 'kh/kh/kh' recursive loop — each clause triggers the other, like a rattling chain react…
- Chandu ke chacha ne Chandu ki chachi ko chandi ki chamach se chatni chatayi. — A 'ch' symphony from start to finish — Hindi's palatal affricate in every single word.