When wine sinks, words swim.
Meaning: Alcohol loosens the tongue, making people speak freely or carelessly without their usual restraint.
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 Communication
- Few words are best. — Silence demonstrates wisdom; excessive talk reveals ignorance and wastes others' time.
- Wranglers never want words. — Quarrelsome people exhaust themselves through constant conflict rather than resolving dis…
- The pen is mightier than the sword — Writing and ideas have more influence than violence.
- Silence is golden — Sometimes it's better to say nothing.
- Actions speak louder than words — What you do matters more than what you say.
- Empty vessels make the most noise — Those who know the least often talk the most.