"a closed mouth gathers no feet" meaning in All languages combined

See a closed mouth gathers no feet on Wiktionary

Proverb [English]

IPA: /ə ˈkləʊzd ˌmaʊθ ˈɡæ.ðəz nəʊ ˈfiːt/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ə ˈkloʊzd ˌmaʊθ ˈɡæ.ðɚz noʊ ˈfiːt/ [General-American]
Etymology: From put one's foot in one's mouth (“to say something embarrassing or wrong, or to make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing or offensive”), adopting the structure of a rolling stone gathers no moss and a closed mouth catches no flies. Etymology templates: {{m|en|put one's foot in one's mouth|t=to say something embarrassing or wrong, or to make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing or offensive}} put one's foot in one's mouth (“to say something embarrassing or wrong, or to make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing or offensive”), {{m|en|a rolling stone gathers no moss}} a rolling stone gathers no moss, {{m|en|a closed mouth catches no flies}} a closed mouth catches no flies Head templates: {{head|en|proverb}} a closed mouth gathers no feet
  1. (humorous) One who does not speak can be sure of not saying anything embarrassing. Tags: humorous Categories (topical): Talking Related terms: a closed mouth catches no flies Translations (one who does not speak can be sure of not saying anything embarrassing): šutnja je zlato (Serbo-Croatian), en boca cerrada no entran moscas (Spanish)

Download JSON data for a closed mouth gathers no feet meaning in All languages combined (5.0kB)

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          "ref": "1958, “Wall Signs Dept.”, in Advertising Agency, volume 51, Bristol, Conn.: Moore Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 9",
          "text": "From the wall of a New York bar: \"A closed mouth gathers no feet.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
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          "ref": "1972, American Eagle, San Francisco, Calif.: American Forest Products Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, column 2",
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          "ref": "1987, Forbes, volume 139, New York, N.Y.: Forbes, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 71",
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          "type": "quotation"
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          "ref": "1993 April, “The Playboy Advisor”, in Hugh M[arston] Hefner, editor, Playboy, volume 40, number 4, Chicago, Ill.: Playboy Enterprises, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 39, column 1",
          "text": "Or just keep your mouth shut. As sex therapist Marty Klein says, \"A closed mouth gathers no feet.\"",
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          "ref": "1996, Marvin Phillips, “A Closed Mouth Gathers No Feet”, in Never Lick a Moving Blender!: Humorous Insights that Motivate and Encourage, West Monroe, La.: Howard Publishing; republished New York, N.Y.: Howard Books, 2010, page 72",
          "text": "So open your mouth to speak about what is good. And above all remember that \"a closed mouth gathers no feet!\"",
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          "ref": "2001, Gary W. Carter, “The Role of a Tax Consultant”, in Getting Started in Tax Consulting, New York, N.Y.: John Wiley & Sons, page 21",
          "text": "Bubba said he would like to go along. Leonard said, \"That's okay, Bubba, but please allow me to do the talking. Remember, a closed mouth gathers no feet.\"",
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    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "one who does not speak can be sure of not saying anything embarrassing",
      "word": "šutnja je zlato"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
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      "sense": "one who does not speak can be sure of not saying anything embarrassing",
      "word": "en boca cerrada no entran moscas"
    }
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  "word": "a closed mouth gathers no feet"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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