See a bad workman always blames his tools in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
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{
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "proverb",
"head": "a bad workman always blames his tools"
},
"expansion": "a bad workman always blames his tools",
"name": "head"
},
{
"args": {
"head": "a bad workman always blames his tools"
},
"expansion": "a bad workman always blames his tools",
"name": "en-proverb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "proverb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "48 52",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English proverbs",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "48 52",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English sentences",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1881, John Wurtle Lovell, “Jacula Prudentum”, in The Works of George Herbert in Prose and Verse, New York, page 440",
"text": "Never had ill workman good tools.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1881, John Wurtle Lovell, “Jacula Prudentum”, in The Works of George Herbert in Prose and Verse, New York, page 454",
"text": "An ill labourer quarrels with his tools.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"It is not the tools we use that make us good, but rather how we employ them."
],
"id": "en-a_bad_workman_always_blames_his_tools-en-proverb-tZRYEj~N",
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "bn",
"lang": "Bengali",
"roman": "nacote na janle uṭhan bãka",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "নাচতে না জানলে উঠান বাঁকা"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "一個差的工人總是指責他的工具"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "yīgè chà de gōngrén zǒngshì zhǐzé tā de gōngjù",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "一个差的工人总是指责他的工具"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "een kwaad werkman heeft altijd slecht getuig"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "kyllä sika syitä löytää, välillä on maa jäässä, välillä kärsä kipeä"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "à méchant ouvrier, point de bon outil"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "un mauvais ouvrier a toujours de mauvais outils"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "de",
"english": "if the rider is no good, it's the horse's fault",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "wenn der Reiter nichts taugt, hat das Pferd Schuld"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "ein schlechter Handwerker schimpft immer auf sein Werkzeug"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "hi",
"lang": "Hindi",
"roman": "nāc na jāne āṅgan ṭeṛhā",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "is",
"english": "a bad rower blames his oar",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "árinni kennir illur ræðari"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ga",
"lang": "Irish",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "droch-cheardaí a chuireann an milleán ar a chuid uirlisí"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ga",
"lang": "Irish",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "ní thig a sháith de chorrán a thabhairt do dhrochbhuanaí"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "kōbō fude o erabazu",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "弘法筆を選ばず"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ko",
"lang": "Korean",
"roman": "nappeun ilkkuneun je gonggureul tathanda",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "나쁜 일꾼은 제 공구를 탓한다"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "تق تاهو مناري دکاتاکن لنتاي جوڠکڠ-جوڠکيت"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "تق تاهو مناري دکاتاکن تانه تيڠݢي رنده"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "تق تاهو مڠاڽم ڤندن دسالهکن"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "tak tahu menari dikatakan lantai jongkang-jongket"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "tak tahu menari dikatakan tanah tinggi rendah"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "tak tahu menganyam pandan disalahkan"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "mr",
"lang": "Marathi",
"roman": "nāctā yeinā aṅgaṇ vākḍe",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "नाचता येइना अंगण वाकडे"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "fa",
"lang": "Dari",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "پهلوان که باخت میگه نیرو من تنگ بود"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "złej baletnicy przeszkadza rąbek spódnicy"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ru",
"english": "bad dancer is impeded even by (his own) balls",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "ploxómu tancóru i jájca mešájut",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "плохо́му танцо́ру и я́йца меша́ют"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ru",
"english": "don't blame the mirror if your mug is skewed",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "néča na zérkalo penjátʹ, kóli róža krivá",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "не́ча на зе́ркало пеня́ть, ко́ли ро́жа крива́"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"note": "ма́стер глуп — нож туп (máster glup — nož tup) (if the worker is stupid, his knife is blunt)",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "gd",
"lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "cha d'fhuair droch-bhuannaiche a-riamh deagh-chorran"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "gd",
"lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "cha d'fhuair droch-ràmhaich ràmh math a-riamh"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "th",
"lang": "Thai",
"roman": "ram-mâi-dii-tôot-bpìi-tôot-glɔɔng",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "รำไม่ดีโทษปี่โทษกลอง"
},
{
"_dis1": "63 37",
"code": "ur",
"lang": "Urdu",
"roman": "nāc na jāne ā̃gan ṭeṛhā",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "ناچ نہ جانے آنگن ٹیڑھا"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "34 66",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "48 52",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English proverbs",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "48 52",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English sentences",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "18 82",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
"parents": [
"Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Upon failure, it is easier to blame the tools used rather than how they were employed."
],
"id": "en-a_bad_workman_always_blames_his_tools-en-proverb-XsyydtzR",
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "39 61",
"word": "a bad carpenter blames his tools"
},
{
"_dis1": "39 61",
"word": "a poor workman blames his tools"
}
]
}
],
"word": "a bad workman always blames his tools"
}
{
"categories": [
"English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English proverbs",
"English sentences",
"English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys"
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "proverb",
"head": "a bad workman always blames his tools"
},
"expansion": "a bad workman always blames his tools",
"name": "head"
},
{
"args": {
"head": "a bad workman always blames his tools"
},
"expansion": "a bad workman always blames his tools",
"name": "en-proverb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "proverb",
"senses": [
{
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1881, John Wurtle Lovell, “Jacula Prudentum”, in The Works of George Herbert in Prose and Verse, New York, page 440",
"text": "Never had ill workman good tools.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1881, John Wurtle Lovell, “Jacula Prudentum”, in The Works of George Herbert in Prose and Verse, New York, page 454",
"text": "An ill labourer quarrels with his tools.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"It is not the tools we use that make us good, but rather how we employ them."
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"Upon failure, it is easier to blame the tools used rather than how they were employed."
]
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "a bad carpenter blames his tools"
},
{
"word": "a poor workman blames his tools"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bn",
"lang": "Bengali",
"roman": "nacote na janle uṭhan bãka",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "নাচতে না জানলে উঠান বাঁকা"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "一個差的工人總是指責他的工具"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "yīgè chà de gōngrén zǒngshì zhǐzé tā de gōngjù",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "一个差的工人总是指责他的工具"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "een kwaad werkman heeft altijd slecht getuig"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "kyllä sika syitä löytää, välillä on maa jäässä, välillä kärsä kipeä"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "à méchant ouvrier, point de bon outil"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "un mauvais ouvrier a toujours de mauvais outils"
},
{
"code": "de",
"english": "if the rider is no good, it's the horse's fault",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "wenn der Reiter nichts taugt, hat das Pferd Schuld"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "ein schlechter Handwerker schimpft immer auf sein Werkzeug"
},
{
"code": "hi",
"lang": "Hindi",
"roman": "nāc na jāne āṅgan ṭeṛhā",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा"
},
{
"code": "is",
"english": "a bad rower blames his oar",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "árinni kennir illur ræðari"
},
{
"code": "ga",
"lang": "Irish",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "droch-cheardaí a chuireann an milleán ar a chuid uirlisí"
},
{
"code": "ga",
"lang": "Irish",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "ní thig a sháith de chorrán a thabhairt do dhrochbhuanaí"
},
{
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "kōbō fude o erabazu",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "弘法筆を選ばず"
},
{
"code": "ko",
"lang": "Korean",
"roman": "nappeun ilkkuneun je gonggureul tathanda",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "나쁜 일꾼은 제 공구를 탓한다"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "تق تاهو مناري دکاتاکن لنتاي جوڠکڠ-جوڠکيت"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "تق تاهو مناري دکاتاکن تانه تيڠݢي رنده"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "تق تاهو مڠاڽم ڤندن دسالهکن"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "tak tahu menari dikatakan lantai jongkang-jongket"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "tak tahu menari dikatakan tanah tinggi rendah"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "tak tahu menganyam pandan disalahkan"
},
{
"code": "mr",
"lang": "Marathi",
"roman": "nāctā yeinā aṅgaṇ vākḍe",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "नाचता येइना अंगण वाकडे"
},
{
"code": "fa",
"lang": "Dari",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "پهلوان که باخت میگه نیرو من تنگ بود"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "złej baletnicy przeszkadza rąbek spódnicy"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"english": "bad dancer is impeded even by (his own) balls",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "ploxómu tancóru i jájca mešájut",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "плохо́му танцо́ру и я́йца меша́ют"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"english": "don't blame the mirror if your mug is skewed",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "néča na zérkalo penjátʹ, kóli róža krivá",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "не́ча на зе́ркало пеня́ть, ко́ли ро́жа крива́"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"note": "ма́стер глуп — нож туп (máster glup — nož tup) (if the worker is stupid, his knife is blunt)",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed"
},
{
"code": "gd",
"lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "cha d'fhuair droch-bhuannaiche a-riamh deagh-chorran"
},
{
"code": "gd",
"lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "cha d'fhuair droch-ràmhaich ràmh math a-riamh"
},
{
"code": "th",
"lang": "Thai",
"roman": "ram-mâi-dii-tôot-bpìi-tôot-glɔɔng",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "รำไม่ดีโทษปี่โทษกลอง"
},
{
"code": "ur",
"lang": "Urdu",
"roman": "nāc na jāne ā̃gan ṭeṛhā",
"sense": "not the tools but how they're employed",
"word": "ناچ نہ جانے آنگن ٹیڑھا"
}
],
"word": "a bad workman always blames his tools"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-17 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-01 using wiktextract (0b52755 and 5cb0836). 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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