--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The well-mannered man never puts out his…" description: "\"The well-mannered man never puts out his hand in greeting until a lady extends hers. This is a test of good breeding that is constantly applied. ... Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a5/humphry-davy-13342_assumption_the-well-mannered-man-never-puts-out-his_965950.jpg" --- # The well-mannered man never puts out his hand in greeting… ![“The well-mannered man never puts out his hand in greeting until a lady extends hers. This is a test of good breeding that is constantly applied. ... The first move in the direction of cordiality must come from the lady, the whole code of behaviour being based on the assumption that she is the…” quote by Humphry Davy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a5/humphry-davy-13342_assumption_the-well-mannered-man-never-puts-out-his_965950.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a5/humphry-davy-13342_assumption_the-well-mannered-man-never-puts-out-his_965950.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a5/humphry-davy-13342_assumption_the-well-mannered-man-never-puts-out-his_965950.jpg) > “The well-mannered man never puts out his hand in greeting until a lady extends hers. This is a test of good breeding that is constantly applied. ... The first move in the direction of cordiality must come from the lady, the whole code of behaviour being based on the assumption that she is the social superior.” [Humphry Davy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphry-davy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Social norms often dictate that women initiate greetings, reinforcing gender hierarchies and expectations of female superiority in public interactions. **In simple terms:** Women are expected to start greetings, reflecting gender bias. Key Takeaway Question and challenge such gendered expectations. Themes gender roles social norms etiquette Mood critical reflective Type analytical historical When to use this quote - formal events - business meetings - social gatherings - first impressions Key Concepts gender hierarchy social conditioning politeness rituals Questions to Reflect On - How do greeting customs reflect power dynamics? - Should gendered expectations in etiquette be revised? A Different Perspective Modern contexts may reject this rule, making it outdated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Cordiality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cordiality/) [Good breeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-breeding/) [Greetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greetings/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Well mannered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-mannered/) ## Related quotes > [“As a sign of power the hand has a dynamic aspect: it is poised to act and conquer. 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