English · Proverb Attested

a closed mouth gathers no feet

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

One who does not speak can be sure of not saying anything embarrassing.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Người không nói sẽ không nói điều gì đáng ngạc nhiên

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

From the wall of a New York bar: "A closed mouth gathers no feet."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “a closed mouth gathers no feet” mean?

One who does not speak can be sure of not saying anything embarrassing.

Is “a closed mouth gathers no feet” formal or informal?

a closed mouth gathers no feet is generally humorous.

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