Explore English traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-01
Sense: Verified- Meaning and lesson
The proverb suggests that wealth can draw expressions of love and admiration, making a rich person seem especially cherished.
Its point is skeptical: some of that affection may be directed toward the person's money rather than toward the person themselves.
- When it is used
Use it to comment wryly on a situation in which praise, attention, or apparent affection seems to follow someone's wealth. It questions people's motives without proving that any particular person's feelings are insincere.
- Register
- Archaic wording
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: He is most loved that hath most bags.