Tis a blot on his escutcheon.
Meaning: A single shameful act permanently mars a person's reputation and family honor, like a stain that cannot be removed from a coat of arms.
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
- He who blusters without reason has most reason to bluster. — Empty boasting reveals deep insecurity; the loudest voices often mask the weakest positio…
- I have a bone in my arm. — Claiming disability to avoid work reveals one's character through convenient excuses.
- The nearer the bone the sweeter the meat. — Proximity to difficulty yields greatest reward; best results come from reaching hardest d…
- They that are bound must obey. — Captive people have no choice but to submit to their captor's will and commands.
- A bow long bent at last waxeth weak. — Continuous strain without rest eventually exhausts even the strongest resources or people.
- The brain that sows not corn, plants thistles. — Idleness breeds destructive habits; a mind unused for constructive purpose defaults to ha…
From our compliments & insults
- Tête de mule — An impossibly stubborn person who refuses to change their mind no matter what.
- C'est une vraie chèvre — They're hopelessly stubborn and infuriating — a goat that refuses to be moved.
- Casse-pieds — A massive bore or pain in the neck — someone who wears you down with their irritating way…