a lie hath no feet
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Because it cannot stand alone. In fact, a lie wants twenty others to support it, and even then is in constant danger of tripping. Cp. LIAR (Liars should have good memories).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a lie hath no feet” mean?
Because it cannot stand alone. In fact, a lie wants twenty others to support it, and even then is in constant danger of tripping. Cp. LIAR (Liars should have good memories).
Is “a lie hath no feet” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.