The greatest number is made up of units.
Meaning: Mighty achievements require attention to countless small details and contributions from many individuals working together.
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
- Valour can do little without discretion. — Bravery without careful judgment leads to reckless harm rather than meaningful heroic ach…
- Valour that parleys is near yielding. — Hesitation to fight signals weakness; true courage acts decisively without negotiation or…
- Venture a small fish to catch a great one. — Small sacrifices or risks are worthwhile investments when they lead to substantially grea…
- Venture not all in one ship. — Spreading your resources across multiple ventures protects you from total loss when disas…
- Vice is nourished by being concealed. — Secrecy allows wrongdoing to grow unchecked, while exposure and accountability naturally…
- The sweetest wine makes the sharpest vinegar. — Excellence corrupted becomes more destructive than mediocrity ever could.
From our compliments & insults
- 目に入れても痛くない (Me ni irete mo itakunai) — Said of someone you adore completely, often a child or grandchild.
- Bête comme ses pieds — Really not very bright.
- Avoir un poil dans la main — To be incurably lazy.