Explore English traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-01
Sense: Verified- Meaning and lesson
The proverb imagines teeth as occupants of the mouth. When they ache, they become troublesome tenants whose presence is hard to ignore.
Its humor comes from making a private physical discomfort sound like a household problem. The complaint is about the painful teeth, not about actual tenants.
- When it is used
Use it as a wry response to a complaint about toothache when a playful comparison is welcome. The archaic phrasing gives it an old-fashioned tone and would be out of place as medical advice.
- Register
- archaic, humorous
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Who hath aching teeth, hath ill tenants.