Explore English traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-02
Sense: Verified- Meaning and lesson
The proverb allows pleasure in eating while urging restraint in drinking. It sets an open attitude toward food against a definite limit on drink.
Its advice is deliberately uneven: enjoyment need not be refused altogether, but a person should recognize where moderation matters and act accordingly.
- When it is used
Use it to advise moderation during a meal, particularly when someone is enjoying both food and drink. Its contrast lets the speaker encourage pleasure without treating every kind of consumption alike.
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Eat at pleasure, Drink by measure.