Quotes About Words

Whoever prides himself too much on having sustained no wound in the battle of life lays himself open to the suspicion that his fighting has been with words only, whilst actually he has remained far away from the firing line.

As long as concepts are identical with mere words, the variation is almost imperceptible and plays no practical role. But when an exact definition or a careful explanation is needed, one can occasionally discover the most amazing variations, not only in the purely intellectual understanding of the term, but particularly in its emotional tone and its application. As a rule, these variations are subliminal and therefore never realized.

I am speaking of those who cannot tolerate the loss of myth and who can neither find a way to a merely exterior world, to the world as seen by science, nor rest satisfied with an intellectual juggling with words, which has nothing whatsoever to do with wisdom.

Joe had always considered individual words as finite units of currency, and he believed in savings.

rifle to shoot at you?

uninspired architecture they were government buildings.

He loved Teddy Roosevelt's words: 'For the benefit and enjoyment of the people. ' He used to say it all the time.

This is happening with more frequency," her mother said. The words weren't said in anger, but in a kind of martyred resignation.

Inuit people had scores of words to describe snow, and that had always impressed

Mega biblion, mega kakon (Big book, big evil)

I have noticed that nothing I never said ever did me any harm.

I have noticed that nothing I have never said ever did me any harm.

The words of the President have an enormous weight and ought not to be used indiscriminately. It would be exceedingly easy to set the country all by the ears and foment hatreds and jealousies, which, by destroying faith and confidence, would help nobody and harm everybody. The end would be the destruction of all progress.

Even idiots sometimes have a way with words. And some words have sharp tongues.

For all their reputation for chattiness and storytelling, the Irish I knew were so skillful with words there was sometimes no need for them at all.

ASSOCIATION COPY (excerpt) Who can help the heart, which is grand and full of gestures? … The whole year I spent loving him, something splendid as lemons, sour and bright and leading my tongue toward new language, was on the book shelf… We make habits out of words. I grew accustomed to his, the way they spooned me into sleep so many times.

So much of medicine is translation disguised as insight. You tell the doctor what's wrong with you in English and she tells you back in Greek, as the joke goes. Which is not to say that words can't taste like medicine. Placebo, in Latin, means "I shall be pleasing.

Who is right? Which is best, protecting with words or with his knife?

Words hold such weight and consequence. I have not always been mindful of my tongue, and it has cost me. For if given the choice, people will believe the worst of you, not the best.

Silencio, silencio y más silencio. Me gusta el silencio. El silencio no hace daño. Las palabras, sí.

Aunque a ratos de olvides de mi, ingrato elctor, yo sigo manejando los hilos. Estoy al acecho detrás de las palabras y guío tus pasos -y también tus emociones- a través de esta historia. Pero sigo aquí y cuando me convenga apareceré, sin que tú puedas evitarlo.

Typecasting always involves a slight insult, and usually one that is easy to refute. But since it is the response itself that the typecaster seeks, the defense is silence, acting as if the words weren't even spoken.

Samuel Smiles said, "Personalities itself is plainly a vehicle for self-advancement. Men who's acts are a direct variance with their words command no respect, and what they say has but little weight." Trust, formerly earned through actions, is now purchased through slight of hand and slight of words.

Where otherwise words were, flow discoveries, freed all surprised out of the fruit's flesh. RAINER MARIA RILKE