--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words are but pictures of our thoughts." description: "\"Words are but pictures of our thoughts.\" — John Dryden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/john-dryden-491_language_words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts-1_1002070.jpg" --- # Words are but pictures of our thoughts. ![“Words are but pictures of our thoughts.” quote by John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/john-dryden-491_language_words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts-1_1002070.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/john-dryden-491_language_words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts-1_1002070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/john-dryden-491_language_words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts-1_1002070.jpg) > “Words are but pictures of our thoughts.” [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoughts are visualized through language, turning ideas into mental images. **In simple terms:** Ideas become pictures in the mind. Key Takeaway Use vivid language to convey ideas. Themes creativity language imagination Mood inspired reflective Type literary educational When to use this quote - teaching - writing - public speaking Key Concepts literature cognitive science Questions to Reflect On - How do you visualize thoughts? - What images help you remember ideas? A Different Perspective Images may not capture full nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [When the people sat around on the porch and passed around the pictures of their thoughts for the others to look at and see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/when-the-people-sat-around-on-the-porch-and-passed-around-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [I love picture books - with picture books, you can use words and pictures as a double act, even tell two different versions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mini-grey/i-love-picture-books-with-picture-books-you-can-use-words-and/) [Mini Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mini-grey/) > [What excites me about picture books is the gap between pictures and words. 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We found some pictures that are worth 500 billion words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erez-lieberman-aiden/ladies-and-gentlemen-a-picture-is-not-worth-a-thousand-words-we-found/) [Erez Lieberman Aiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erez-lieberman-aiden/) > [In other words the pictures are in a kind of relationship with each other which is touching only at points rather than pictures being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-porter/in-other-words-the-pictures-are-in-a-kind-of-relationship-with-each/) [Peter Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-porter/) > [Comics are words and pictures. You can do anything with words and pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/comics-are-words-and-pictures-you-can-do-anything-with-words-and/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I like to look at the interface between words and pictures and wonder about which comes first, a sort of chicken-or-egg type of question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-equi/i-like-to-look-at-the-interface-between-words-and-pictures-and-wonder/) [Elaine Equi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-equi/) > [I hope for quick, fluent copy and memorable pictures. The words would not 'describe' the pictures; the pictures would not 'illustrate' the words. Together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-rukeyser/i-hope-for-quick-fluent-copy-and-memorable-pictures-the-words-would/) [Muriel Rukeyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-rukeyser/) > [Words also are filters. They have to be translated. 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Words and pictures should not, cannot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-brandt/i-don-t-know-who-said-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-but-whoever/) Anne Brandt > [As people who know me know, probably to a fault, I am usually not without thoughts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/as-people-who-know-me-know-probably-to-a-fault-i-am-usually-not/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) ## More by John Dryden > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Trust on and think To-morrow will repay; To-morrow's falser than the former day; Lies worse; and while it says, we shall be blest With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/trust-on-and-think-to-morrow-will-repay-to-morrow-s-falser-than-the/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [To take up half on trust, and half to try, Name it not faith but bungling bigotry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/to-take-up-half-on-trust-and-half-to-try-name-it-not-faith-but/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Among our crimes oblivion may be set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/among-our-crimes-oblivion-may-be-set/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [And after hearing what our Church can say, If still our reason runs another way, That private reason 'tis more just to curb, Than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/and-after-hearing-what-our-church-can-say-if-still-our-reason-runs/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave deserves the fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/happy-happy-happy-pair-none-but-the-brave-deserves-the-fair/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [A coward is the kindest animal; 'Tis the most forgiving creature in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/a-coward-is-the-kindest-animal-tis-the-most-forgiving-creature-in-a/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [God never made his work for man to mend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/god-never-made-his-work-for-man-to-mend/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Reason to rule, mercy to forgive: The first is law, the last prerogative. 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I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The words for what I want to say right now don't exist. Everything sounds…so cliché.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/the-words-for-what-i-want-to-say-right-now-don-t-exist-everything/) [Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. 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(To action little, less to words inclinded.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/finxerunt-animi-raro-et-perpauca-loquentis-to-action-little-less-to/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) [Browse all 21,951 Language quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Words are but pictures of our thoughts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Dryden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Language" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/john-dryden-491_language_words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts-1_1002070.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/john-dryden-491_language_words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts-1_1002070.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/john-dryden-491_language_words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts-1_1002070.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Words are but pictures of our thoughts.” — John Dryden", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Dryden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Words are but pictures of our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/words-are-but-pictures-of-our-thoughts/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```