--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words are the motes of thought, and…" description: "\"Words are the motes of thought, and nothing more.\" — Philip James Bailey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b02/philip-james-bailey-2904_language_words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothi_2718651.jpg" --- # Words are the motes of thought, and nothing more. ![“Words are the motes of thought, and nothing more.” quote by Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b02/philip-james-bailey-2904_language_words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothi_2718651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b02/philip-james-bailey-2904_language_words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothi_2718651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b02/philip-james-bailey-2904_language_words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothi_2718651.jpg) > “Words are the motes of thought, and nothing more.” [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) ## 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 fleeting particles; they hold no substance beyond ideas. **In simple terms:** Thoughts are just ideas. Key Takeaway Focus on actions over thoughts. Themes philosophy thought ephemerality mindfulness Mood reflective poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - creative writing - meditation - education Key Concepts Existentialism cognitive theory literary metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How can thoughts become actions? - What gives thoughts meaning? A Different Perspective Ideas alone don’t create change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [The ocean can be yours; why should you stop Beguiled by dreams of evanescent dew? The secrets of the sun are yours, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farid-al-din-attar/the-ocean-can-be-yours-why-should-you-stop-beguiled-by-dreams-of/) [Farid al-Din Attar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farid-al-din-attar/) > [The gay motes that people the sunbeams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-gay-motes-that-people-the-sunbeams/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“To assess the quality of thoughts of people, don't listen to their words, but watch their actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/to-assess-the-quality-of-thoughts-of-people-don-t-listen-to-their/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Words are the small change of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/words-are-the-small-change-of-thought/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [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/) > [A word or words/sentance is spoken with/then a thought or thoughts (are) put behind it or them. or a word or words/sentance is spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dena/a-word-or-words-sentance-is-spoken-with-then-a-thought-or-thoughts/) [Dena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dena/) > [I've always thought about myself as somewhat of a folk musician. I just write words. I don't think I'm even a musician. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-ve-always-thought-about-myself-as-somewhat-of-a-folk-musician-i/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [Tears are words that can't express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/tears-are-words-that-can-t-express/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [We live not only in a world of thoughts, but also in a world of things. Words without experience are meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/we-live-not-only-in-a-world-of-thoughts-but-also-in-a-world-of-things/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [How wonderful it would be to scatter words as they rise to consciousness, to let them lie where they fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-scott/how-wonderful-it-would-be-to-scatter-words-as-they-rise-to/) [Joanna Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-scott/) > [Thought determines action. Do not let your whole life be a reaction to the things that happen around you each day. Let your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/thought-determines-action-do-not-let-your-whole-life-be-a-reaction-to/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [All that we are is the result of what we have thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-we-are-is-the-result-of-what-we-have-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ The system \[of thought\] doesn't stay with the difficult problem that produces unpleasant feelings. It's conditioned somehow to move as fast as it can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/the-system-of-thought-doesn-t-stay-with-the-difficult-problem-that/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Forgotten thought is the ultimate entropy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lintern/forgotten-thought-is-the-ultimate-entropy/) Neil Lintern ## More by Philip James Bailey > [The strongest passion which I have is honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/the-strongest-passion-which-i-have-is-honor/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [When pride thaws, look for floods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/when-pride-thaws-look-for-floods/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [Thou art a woman, And that is saying the best and worst of thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/thou-art-a-woman-and-that-is-saying-the-best-and-worst-of-thee/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [The death-change comes. Death is another life. We bow our heads At going out, we think, and enter straight Another golden chamber of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/the-death-change-comes-death-is-another-life-we-bow-our-heads-at/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [It is fine to stand upon some lofty mountain thought, and feel the spirit stretch into a view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/it-is-fine-to-stand-upon-some-lofty-mountain-thought-and-feel-the/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [Death, thou art infinite; it is life is little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/death-thou-art-infinite-it-is-life-is-little/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [Kindness is wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/kindness-is-wisdom/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [None but God can fill the perfect whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/none-but-god-can-fill-the-perfect-whole/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [The ground of all great thoughts is sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/the-ground-of-all-great-thoughts-is-sadness/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [The dew, 'Tis of the tears which stars weep, sweet with joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/the-dew-tis-of-the-tears-which-stars-weep-sweet-with-joy/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [My favoured temple is an humble heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/my-favoured-temple-is-an-humble-heart/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [Fine thoughts are wealth, for the right use of which Men are and ought to be accountable,-- If not to Thee, to those they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/fine-thoughts-are-wealth-for-the-right-use-of-which-men-are-and-ought/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [The sole equality on earth is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/the-sole-equality-on-earth-is-death/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [The goodness of the heart is shown in deeds Of peacefulness and kindness. 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Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. 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. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Words can kill you trust towards someone, mind you language people, every reaction had its consequence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-can-kill-you-trust-towards-someone-mind-you-language-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Finxerunt animi, raro et perpauca loquentis. (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 the motes of thought, and nothing more.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip James Bailey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothing-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Language" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothing-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b02/philip-james-bailey-2904_language_words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothi_2718651.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b02/philip-james-bailey-2904_language_words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothi_2718651.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b02/philip-james-bailey-2904_language_words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothi_2718651.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Words are the motes of thought, and nothing more.” — Philip James Bailey", "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": "Philip James Bailey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Words are the motes of thought,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothing-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/words-are-the-motes-of-thought-and-nothing-more/#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 } } ] } ```