you can't keep a good man down
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A person who has talent, resolve, or moral strength will eventually succeed despite having been overlooked, injured, or defeated.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Người có tài năng và quyết tâm sẽ thành công dù gặp khó khăn
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
"Isn't it perfectly splendid, Mr. Pepper, to think that Archie's genius has at last been recognized? How quiet he kept it. I had no idea that Mr. Brackett was even interested in his work. I wonder how he heard of it?"
"Oh, these things get about," I said. "You can't keep a good man down."
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 “you can't keep a good man down” mean?
A person who has talent, resolve, or moral strength will eventually succeed despite having been overlooked, injured, or defeated.
Is “you can't keep a good man down” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.