ProverbWisdom
English origin
English originWit may be bought too dear.
Meaning: Cleverness obtained through deception, betrayal, or moral compromise exacts a hidden cost greater than its apparent value.
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.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- 赤パジャマ黄パジャマ茶パジャマ (Aka pajama, ki pajama, cha pajama) A rapid-fire drill on colour words; the syllable shift from aka/ki/cha trips the tongue b…
- 坊主が屏風に上手に坊主の絵を描いた (Bōzu ga byōbu ni jōzu ni bōzu no e o kaita) A sustained 'b' and long-vowel drill — bōzu/byōbu/jōzu demand precise mouth control.
- 隣の客はよく柿食う客だ (Tonari no kyaku wa yoku kaki kuu kyaku da) A tricky spiral on ka/ki/ku that accelerates as you try to keep the syllables distinct.
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