Explore English traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-01
Sense: Verified- Meaning and lesson
People can respond to the same thing in opposite ways: what one person strongly rejects may be something another eagerly wants. Desire and dislike are not universal measures of value.
The proverb cautions against assuming that a personal judgment will be shared by everyone. Someone else's enthusiasm may be genuine even when the speaker finds it hard to understand.
- When it is used
Use this proverb when one person dismisses an object, opportunity, or experience that someone else actively wants. It can temper a sweeping judgment by pointing out that preferences differ.
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: What one man despises, another craves.