Explore English traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-01
Sense: Verified- Meaning and lesson
The saying joins two kinds of restraint: bearing what is difficult and refraining from an impulsive response. It presents patience as something shown both in endurance and in conduct.
It can also counsel tolerance toward another person’s faults or provocations. The point is not that the difficulty disappears, but that one can choose how to respond to it.
- When it is used
Use it to urge patience when a hardship must be faced or when someone is tempted to answer a provocation in anger. Its brevity suits a direct reminder, though it may sound dismissive if said to someone seeking help with a serious problem.
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Bear and forbear.