--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no restraining men's tongues or…" description: "\"There is no restraining men's tongues or pens when charged with a little vanity.\" — George Washington" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/george-washington-257_littles_there-is-no-restraining-men-s-tongues-or_1296435.jpg" --- # There is no restraining men's tongues or pens when charged… ![“There is no restraining men's tongues or pens when charged with a little vanity.” quote by George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/george-washington-257_littles_there-is-no-restraining-men-s-tongues-or_1296435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/george-washington-257_littles_there-is-no-restraining-men-s-tongues-or_1296435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/george-washington-257_littles_there-is-no-restraining-men-s-tongues-or_1296435.jpg) > “There is no restraining men's tongues or pens when charged with a little vanity.” [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Vanity can free speech and writing from restraint, leading to harmful discourse. **In simple terms:** Vanity removes restraint from speech. Key Takeaway Check ego. Themes freedom of speech vanity responsibility Mood cautious thoughtful Type ethical political When to use this quote - media - political rhetoric - public debate Key Concepts ethics political discourse self‑control Questions to Reflect On - How to balance free speech and responsibility? - What limits are appropriate? A Different Perspective Freedom of speech also protects dissenting views. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) ## Related quotes > [Virtue would not make such advances if there were not a little vanity to keep it company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/virtue-would-not-make-such-advances-if-there-were-not-a-little-vanity/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We say little, when vanity does not make us speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-say-little-when-vanity-does-not-make-us-speak/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [There's a little vanity chair that Charlie gave me the first Christmas we knew each other. I'll not be parting with that, nor our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hayes/there-s-a-little-vanity-chair-that-charlie-gave-me-the-first/) [Helen Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hayes/) > [There are but two sorts of government: one where men show their teeth at each other, and one where men show their tongues and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-but-two-sorts-of-government-one-where-men-show-their-teeth/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [When God gave men tongues, he never dreamed that they would want to talk about the Himalayas; there are consequently no words in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-jeannette-duncan/when-god-gave-men-tongues-he-never-dreamed-that-they-would-want-to/) [Sara Jeannette Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-jeannette-duncan/) > [“Riches, the dumb god that giv'st all men tongues, / That canst do nought, and yet mak'st men do all things; / The price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/riches-the-dumb-god-that-giv-st-all-men-tongues-that-canst-do-nought/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Let not your tongue mention the shame of another, for you yourself are covered in shame and all men have tongues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/let-not-your-tongue-mention-the-shame-of-another-for-you-yourself-are/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Generally speaking, if a guy breaks your jaw and leg and cuts off your robotic arm, you file charges and get a restraining order.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/generally-speaking-if-a-guy-breaks-your-jaw-and-leg-and-cuts-off-your/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [I just recieved a restraining order from my toilet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-just-recieved-a-restraining-order-from-my-toilet/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Restraining prayer, we cease to fight; Prayer keeps the Christian's armor bright; And Satan trembles when he sees The weakest saint upon his knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/restraining-prayer-we-cease-to-fight-prayer-keeps-the-christian-s/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [The idea of restraining the legislative authority, in the means of providing for the national defense, is one of those refinements which owe their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-idea-of-restraining-the-legislative-authority-in-the-means-of/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [“I'm not sure what he's saying , but by the way he's checking you out, it looks like you're gonna need a restraining order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-ledwith/i-m-not-sure-what-he-s-saying-but-by-the-way-he-s-checking-you-out-it/) Sharon Ledwith > [Patience means restraining one's inclinations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/patience-means-restraining-one-s-inclinations/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I won’t.” He reached for her hand, which rested on the seat betweenthem, and wrapped it tightly in his. “I promise. If you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-baker/i-won-t-he-reached-for-her-hand-which-rested-on-the-seat-betweenthem/) [Lauren Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-baker/) > [Everybody I've ever met was destroyed by a member of the opposite sex early on and that damage you took into every relationship after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/everybody-i-ve-ever-met-was-destroyed-by-a-member-of-the-opposite-sex/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) ## More by George Washington > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. 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Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-the-world-without-god-and-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/lenity-will-operate-with-greater-force-in-some-instances-than-rigor/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Explore all 801 George Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More Littles quotes > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. 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You've got to believe that the work you're doing is ultimately more useful to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/it-s-only-a-little-difficult-to-say-no-you-ve-got-to-believe-that-the/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. 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