least said, soonest mended
- idiom
- Informal
:
menos se dice, más pronto se repara
- After their argument, he decided least said, soonest mended, and kept quiet about it.
Examples
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In family disputes, my grandmother always advised least said, soonest mended to maintain harmony.
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Whenever a mistake is made in the office, I find least said, soonest mended is the best approach.
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In situations like this, the least said, soonest mended approach works best.
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When conflicts arise, remember that least said, soonest mended.
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After their argument, he decided that least said, soonest mended was the best way to avoid further conflict.
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In family disputes, my grandmother often reminded us that least said, soonest mended helps keep the peace.
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Whenever there is tension in the group, I prefer to follow the principle of least said, soonest mended to resolve issues quickly.
Synonyms
Not speaking is often better than saying things you do not need to say
Not speaking to show your feelings or thoughts
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
least + said, + soonest + mended
The constituent words ('least' + 'said' and 'soonest' + 'mended') directly indicate that saying less leads to quicker mending/repair, so the parts provide a clear compositional clue. However, the proverb's elliptical/archaic word order and the metaphorical use of 'mend' for emotional or relational repair make the exact pragmatic reading less immediately predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
Least said, soonest mended uses the simple image of a small wound or tear: least said (say little) lets a hurt soonest mended (heal quickly) because talking or picking at it can make it worse. So the saying means 'it is often better to say as little as possible about a disagreement so it will be fixed quickly'.