--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He was always late on principle, his…" description: "\"He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/oscar-wilde-16_time_he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-prin_1993626.jpg" --- # He was always late on principle, his principle being that… ![“He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/oscar-wilde-16_time_he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-prin_1993626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/oscar-wilde-16_time_he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-prin_1993626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/oscar-wilde-16_time_he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-prin_1993626.jpg) > “He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He deliberately arrives late to claim that punctuality wastes valuable time. **In simple terms:** Late on principle, valuing time over timeliness. Key Takeaway Question the value of strict punctuality. Themes time principle punctuality Mood witty critical Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - work meetings - social events - personal routines Key Concepts philosophical irony social critique Questions to Reflect On - Is punctuality always a virtue? - When is flexibility preferable? A Different Perspective May be seen as disrespectful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Late Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late-principle-3469181/) [Principle Punctuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-punctuality-3469182/) [Punctuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punctuality/) [Punctuality Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punctuality-thief-2496413/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I am always late on principle, my principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-am-always-late-on-principle-my-principle-being-that-punctuality-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Punctuality is the thief of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/punctuality-is-the-thief-of-time/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Punctuality is the thief of adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-struther/punctuality-is-the-thief-of-adventure/) [Jan Struther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-struther/) > [Most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/most-people-die-of-a-sort-of-creeping-common-sense-and-discover-when/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There is a lot one can learn from Akshay sir, if one needs to learn punctuality and how to shoot in time, one should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammy-virk/there-is-a-lot-one-can-learn-from-akshay-sir-if-one-needs-to-learn/) [Ammy Virk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammy-virk/) > [Strict punctuality is perhaps the cheapest virtue which can give force to an otherwise utterly insignificant character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frederick-boyes/strict-punctuality-is-perhaps-the-cheapest-virtue-which-can-give/) [John Frederick Boyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frederick-boyes/) > [Punctuality is closely related to faithfulness and dependability. Being tardy can be linked to uninterest, apathy, slothfulness and procrastination...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/punctuality-is-closely-related-to-faithfulness-and-dependability/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [People know that I have adopted four principles in living my life: simple living, punctuality, hard work and prudence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-sattar-edhi/people-know-that-i-have-adopted-four-principles-in-living-my-life/) [Abdul Sattar Edhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-sattar-edhi/) > [Perhaps punctuality is a quality made even more valuable because it is found in so few people. Punctuality is not usually thought of in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/perhaps-punctuality-is-a-quality-made-even-more-valuable-because-it/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [“So long as we think of it objectively, time is Fate or Chance, the factor in our lives for which we are not responsible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-long-as-we-think-of-it-objectively-time-is-fate-or-chance-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The iron rail proved a magicians' road. It virtually reduced England to a sixth of its size. It brought the country nearer to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-iron-rail-proved-a-magicians-road-it-virtually-reduced-england-to/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Promptness is the soul of business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/promptness-is-the-soul-of-business/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [People, the common people, can genuinely see what I'm doing. Moreover, people know that I have adopted four principles in living my life: simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-sattar-edhi/people-the-common-people-can-genuinely-see-what-i-m-doing-moreover/) [Abdul Sattar Edhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-sattar-edhi/) > [Punctuality is for people with nothing better to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/punctuality-is-for-people-with-nothing-better-to-do/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [The latest I like to be to meeting is 15 minutes early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/the-latest-i-like-to-be-to-meeting-is-15-minutes-early/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Late quotes > [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/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The late 1990s were really a moment of still tremendous hope and optimism about the relationship between Russia and the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-late-1990s-were-really-a-moment-of-still-tremendous-hope-and/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [There was a product on late night TV that you could attach to your garden hose - "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/there-was-a-product-on-late-night-tv-that-you-could-attach-to-your/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [God is never late, we're just impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/god-is-never-late-we-re-just-impatient/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [The right decision is the wrong decision if it's made too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-right-decision-is-the-wrong-decision-if-it-s-made-too-late/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/love-is-all-a-matter-of-timing-it-s-no-good-meeting-the-right-person/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [And my experience is the best titles, for me, emerge in the process of writing. They don't usually come at the very beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/and-my-experience-is-the-best-titles-for-me-emerge-in-the-process-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [For me, the melancholy of the late XXth Century is walking late at night by the Mont Blanc pen store and seeing these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/for-me-the-melancholy-of-the-late-xxth-century-is-walking-late-at/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [I've always been a late bloomer in some ways, and extremely precocious in other ways. When I was twenty I was living in New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-daum/i-ve-always-been-a-late-bloomer-in-some-ways-and-extremely-precocious/) [Meghan Daum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-daum/) > [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) > [God alone knows how great it is. All I hope is that it is not too late. I am very much afraid that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/god-alone-knows-how-great-it-is-all-i-hope-is-that-it-is-not-too-late/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) [Browse all 5,113 Late quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-principle-being-that-punctuality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Late" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-principle-being-that-punctuality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/oscar-wilde-16_time_he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-prin_1993626.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/oscar-wilde-16_time_he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-prin_1993626.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/oscar-wilde-16_time_he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-prin_1993626.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He was always late on principle,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-principle-being-that-punctuality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-was-always-late-on-principle-his-principle-being-that-punctuality/#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 } } ] } ```