--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words should be employed as the means…" description: "\"Words should be employed as the means, not the end; language is the instrument, conviction is the work.\" — Joshua Reynolds" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/joshua-reynolds-8159_conviction_words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-no_29232.jpg" --- # Words should be employed as the means, not the end… ![“Words should be employed as the means, not the end; language is the instrument, conviction is the work.” quote by Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/joshua-reynolds-8159_conviction_words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-no_29232.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/joshua-reynolds-8159_conviction_words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-no_29232.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/joshua-reynolds-8159_conviction_words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-no_29232.jpg) > “Words should be employed as the means, not the end; language is the instrument, conviction is the work.” [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language serves as a tool for expressing ideas; the true purpose lies in the convictions it conveys, not in the words themselves. **In simple terms:** Words are a means, not a goal. Key Takeaway Focus on substance over style. Themes communication philosophy clarity purpose expression Mood thoughtful analytical inspired Type aphorism philosophical statement When to use this quote - public speaking - writing essays - debates - teaching - marketing copy Key Concepts instrumentality conviction medium message Practical Applications - crafting persuasive arguments - clarifying core messages Questions to Reflect On - How does your language reflect your beliefs? - What can you strip away without losing meaning? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Conviction Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction-work-421445/) [Employed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employed/) [Employed Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employed-means-421444/) [End Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-language-421443/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Words Employed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-employed-421442/) ## Related quotes > [“And there was never a better time to delve for pleasure in language than the sixteenth century, when novelty blew through English like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/and-there-was-never-a-better-time-to-delve-for-pleasure-in-language/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [“To be a great achiever, you must first discover your main purpose of existing through feasible communication mode with your maker, the source of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/to-be-a-great-achiever-you-must-first-discover-your-main-purpose-of/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Being self-employed means you work 12 hours a day for yourself so you don't have to work 8 hours a day for someone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/being-self-employed-means-you-work-12-hours-a-day-for-yourself-so-you/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Where Nature's end of language is declin'd, And men talk only to conceal the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/where-nature-s-end-of-language-is-declin-d-and-men-talk-only-to/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [I think if you work with different kinds of codes, attitudes, in the end you have a language. It's like within a person. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandro-michele/i-think-if-you-work-with-different-kinds-of-codes-attitudes-in-the/) [Alessandro Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandro-michele/) > [In the practice of art... it is necessary to keep a watchful and jealous eye over ourselves; idleness, assuming the specious disguise of industry...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/in-the-practice-of-art-it-is-necessary-to-keep-a-watchful-and-jealous/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [FOR a long time the conviction has been dimly felt in the community that, without prejudice to existing institutions, the legal day of weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-adler/for-a-long-time-the-conviction-has-been-dimly-felt-in-the-community/) [Felix Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-adler/) > [All forces are a deterrent to and would be employed in a general war. Most of our forces could be employed in a limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-gates-jr/all-forces-are-a-deterrent-to-and-would-be-employed-in-a-general-war/) [Thomas S. Gates Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-gates-jr/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Of Rhetoric various definitions have been given by different writers; who, however, seem not so much to have disagreed in their conceptions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/of-rhetoric-various-definitions-have-been-given-by-different-writers/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Oh yeah, I'm still employed at Pixar and I love it here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/oh-yeah-i-m-still-employed-at-pixar-and-i-love-it-here/) [Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags, and he still couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed-88-joke-writers-who-supplied/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) ## More by Joshua Reynolds > [Grandeur of effect is produced by two different ways which seem entirely opposed to each other. One is by reducing the colors to little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/grandeur-of-effect-is-produced-by-two-different-ways-which-seem/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [And he who does not know himself does not know others, so it may be said with equal truth, that he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/and-he-who-does-not-know-himself-does-not-know-others-so-it-may-be/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [If you have great talents, industry will improve them: if you have but moderate abilities, industry will supply their deficiency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/if-you-have-great-talents-industry-will-improve-them-if-you-have-but/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [Certainly, nothing can be more simple than monotony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/certainly-nothing-can-be-more-simple-than-monotony/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [The real character of a man is found out by his amusements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/the-real-character-of-a-man-is-found-out-by-his-amusements/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [A mere copier of nature can never produce anything great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/a-mere-copier-of-nature-can-never-produce-anything-great/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [The general ideas which are expressed in sketches, correspond very well to the art often used in poetry... every reader making out the detail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/the-general-ideas-which-are-expressed-in-sketches-correspond-very/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [All the gestures of children are graceful; the reign of distortion and unnatural attitudes commences with the introduction of the dancing master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/all-the-gestures-of-children-are-graceful-the-reign-of-distortion-and/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [Our studies will be forever, in a very great degree, under the direction of chance; like travelers, we must take what we can get,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/our-studies-will-be-forever-in-a-very-great-degree-under-the/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [Style in painting is the same as in writing; a power over materials, whether words or colors, by which conceptions or sentiments are conveyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/style-in-painting-is-the-same-as-in-writing-a-power-over-materials/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [The distinct blue, red, and yellow colors... though they have not the kind of harmony which is produced by a variety of broken and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/the-distinct-blue-red-and-yellow-colors-though-they-have-not-the-kind/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [I do not see in what manner practice alone can be sufficient for the production of correct, excellent, and finished pictures. Works deserving this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/i-do-not-see-in-what-manner-practice-alone-can-be-sufficient-for-the/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [There can be no doubt but that he who has the most materials has the greatest means of invention...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/there-can-be-no-doubt-but-that-he-who-has-the-most-materials-has-the/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [Excellence is never granted to man, but as the reward of labour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/excellence-is-never-granted-to-man-but-as-the-reward-of-labour/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [Could we teach taste or genius by rules, they would be no longer taste and genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/could-we-teach-taste-or-genius-by-rules-they-would-be-no-longer-taste/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) [Explore all 83 Joshua Reynolds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) ## More Conviction quotes > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I've been around in public life for a long time. I think people know what I stand for. They know that I have strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/i-ve-been-around-in-public-life-for-a-long-time-i-think-people-know/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [“Desert are you, deluge are you, in a crowd of fakes, only truth is you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/desert-are-you-deluge-are-you-in-a-crowd-of-fakes-only-truth-is-you/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [For a successful revolution it is not enough that there is discontent. What is required is a profound and thorough conviction of the justice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/for-a-successful-revolution-it-is-not-enough-that-there-is-discontent/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > ['Peace on earth, good will toward men' - democracy must cling to that message. For it is my deep conviction that democracy cannot live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/peace-on-earth-good-will-toward-men-democracy-must-cling-to-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [ Beneath everything else, North and West, there ran a profound, unvoiced, almost subconscious conviction that the \[American\] nation was going to go on growing-in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/beneath-everything-else-north-and-west-there-ran-a-profound-unvoiced/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [When you fight to give your family bread, that's not passion anymore: that's conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoel-romero/when-you-fight-to-give-your-family-bread-that-s-not-passion-anymore/) [Yoel Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoel-romero/) > [If you know the differences between an oak and a poplar, a spruce and a pine, down to the needles... you are able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-allen-lawson/if-you-know-the-differences-between-an-oak-and-a-poplar-a-spruce-and/) [T. Allen Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-allen-lawson/) > [We need the conviction to be able to think for ourselves and to take action outof our own sense of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/we-need-the-conviction-to-be-able-to-think-for-ourselves-and-to-take/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [The law of England has established trial by judge and jury in the conviction that it is the mode best calculated to ascertain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/the-law-of-england-has-established-trial-by-judge-and-jury-in-the/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [If you are going to flip something, you must have the courage of your convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/if-you-are-going-to-flip-something-you-must-have-the-courage-of-your/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [We embark unhesitatingly on the path, in a direction that is absolutely right and urgent, supported by everyone, in the knowledge that this path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehudi-menuhin/we-embark-unhesitatingly-on-the-path-in-a-direction-that-is/) [Yehudi Menuhin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehudi-menuhin/) [Browse all 2,157 Conviction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Words should be employed as the means, not the end; language is the instrument, conviction is the work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joshua Reynolds" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-not-the-end-language-is-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conviction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-not-the-end-language-is-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/joshua-reynolds-8159_conviction_words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-no_29232.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/joshua-reynolds-8159_conviction_words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-no_29232.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/joshua-reynolds-8159_conviction_words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-no_29232.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Words should be employed as the means, not the end; language is the instrument, conviction is the work.” — Joshua Reynolds", "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": "Joshua Reynolds", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Words should be employed as the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-not-the-end-language-is-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/words-should-be-employed-as-the-means-not-the-end-language-is-the/#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 } } ] } ```