There would be no great ones if there were no little.

Meaning: Greatness requires a foundation of ordinary people and humble tasks to build upon and elevate from.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Wisdom

• A great ship needs deep waters. — Significant ambitions require sufficient resources and circumstances to achieve their ful…
• A green wound is soon healed. — Fresh injuries recover quickly; delay in treatment makes wounds harder to mend.
• A green winter makes a fat churchyard. — Mild winters allow diseases to flourish unchecked, increasing mortality through the follo…
• An unbidden guest must bring his own stool with him. — Uninvited visitors cannot expect hospitality and must accommodate themselves without burd…
• A guilty conscience needs no accuser. — Wrongdoing torments the mind so intensely that external judgment becomes unnecessary for…
• Hail brings frost in the tail. — Severe weather's worst effects linger after the initial storm passes, demanding continued…

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…