apothegm

Definitions

1. A short, witty, instructive saying; an aphorism or maxim.
2. Apothegm, pithy saying.

Equivalents

10 more languages

العربيةالحكمة

Catalàapotegma

Cymraegdoethair

Ελληνικάαπόφθεγμα

Suomiaforismisanonta

Gaeilgenathnathán

Polskiapoftegmat

Portuguêsapotegma

Русскийизречение

Svenskaaforismtänkespråk

Examples

“Every glaſs of wine, or bit almoſt, that I committed to my mouth, ſhe uſhered thither with ſome Apothegm or other: the whole ſeries, indeed, of her diſcourſe, was compoſed of nothing but reaſon or wit, which made me admire her; which ſhe eaſily underſtood, I perceived by her ſmiles, when ſhe obſerved me gaping, as it were, when ſhe ſpoke, as if I would have⟳ eaten up her Words.”

“The account which he [James Ferguson] himself gives of these observations is exceedingly interesting, and strikingly brings out the ingenuity of his mind⟳, and his determination to allow⟳ no difficulties of circumstances to stand⟳ in his way. [...] Thus we are reminded of the apothegm that where there's a will there's a way—an apothegm which has found illustration in every department of effort, but nowhere more frequently than in the progress⟳ of science and art.”

“"You are too wonderful!" he would say⟳. "How do you find⟳ time for everything?" She rejoined with the apophthegm that made the rounds of Riseholme next day. "My dear, it is just busy people that have⟳ time for everything."”

“For the gods have⟳ withheld from the barbarians the light⟳ of discretion, as that their poetry is not, like⟳ ours, full of choice apophthegms and useful maxims, but is all of love⟳ and war.”

“The gnomic belief that the world is conditioned by love⟳ is no idle apothegm.”

“Which means roughly that business keeps one safe from love⟳—ominous talk⟳ when one’s lover is a courtesan. I hoped that it was just another literary conceit I ought to know⟳. (It is, I later learned, an apothegm by Ovid.)”

CEFR level