--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never repeat a rumor before you have…" description: "\"Never repeat a rumor before you have verified it. And if it is true, hold your tongue all the more.\" — Selma Lagerlöf" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/selma-lagerl-f-17524_hold-your-tongue_never-repeat-a-rumor-before-you-have-ver_2975336.png" --- # Never repeat a rumor before you have verified it. And if… ![“Never repeat a rumor before you have verified it. And if it is true, hold your tongue all the more.” quote by Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/selma-lagerl-f-17524_hold-your-tongue_never-repeat-a-rumor-before-you-have-ver_2975336.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/selma-lagerl-f-17524_hold-your-tongue_never-repeat-a-rumor-before-you-have-ver_2975336.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/selma-lagerl-f-17524_hold-your-tongue_never-repeat-a-rumor-before-you-have-ver_2975336.png) > “Never repeat a rumor before you have verified it. And if it is true, hold your tongue all the more.” [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advises caution before spreading unverified information and to remain silent even if the truth emerges. **In simple terms:** Don't share rumors without checking; stay quiet if true. Key Takeaway Verify before speaking; choose silence. Themes communication integrity rumor verification silence Mood cautious thoughtful Type ethical practical When to use this quote - workplace gossip - social media - personal conversations Key Concepts ethics critical thinking media literacy Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a rumor? - When is silence harmful? A Different Perspective Might suppress necessary warnings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hold your tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-your-tongue/) [Rumor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rumor/) ## Related quotes > [The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-best-time-for-you-to-hold-your-tongue-is-the-time-you-feel-you/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“Ever the charmer, eh, Braden? (Sin) Hold your tongue, Sin. (Braden) I would, but with my luck, one of your giant Scottish bugs would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinley-macgregor/ever-the-charmer-eh-braden-sin-hold-your-tongue-sin-braden-i-would/) [Kinley MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinley-macgregor/) > [The primary virtue is: hold your tongue; who knows how to keep quiet is close to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-younger/the-primary-virtue-is-hold-your-tongue-who-knows-how-to-keep-quiet-is/) [Cato the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-younger/) > [I love hip-hop, because you can do this like that and still be super successful! You ain't gotta hold your tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busta-rhymes/i-love-hip-hop-because-you-can-do-this-like-that-and-still-be-super-2/) [Busta Rhymes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busta-rhymes/) > [“Hold your tongue and live your life, for it is in the way that you live that you speak the loudest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/hold-your-tongue-and-live-your-life-for-it-is-in-the-way-that-you/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Evil does not exist; once you have crossed the threshold, all is good. Once in another world, you must hold your tongue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/evil-does-not-exist-once-you-have-crossed-the-threshold-all-is-good/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Life can be harsh. But it matters little. What matters is how well you hold your tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-can-be-harsh-but-it-matters-little-what-matters-is-how-well-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If it's painful for you to criticize your friends, you're safe in doing it; if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-duer-miller/if-it-s-painful-for-you-to-criticize-your-friends-you-re-safe-in/) [Alice Duer Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-duer-miller/) > [“Sometimes it is best to hold your tongue and walk away so bitterness will not depart from your lips and defile you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaeeshia-ratcliff-davis/sometimes-it-is-best-to-hold-your-tongue-and-walk-away-so-bitterness/) [VaeEshia Ratcliff-Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaeeshia-ratcliff-davis/) > [Never hold anyone by the button or the hand in order to be heard out; for if people are unwilling to hear you, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/never-hold-anyone-by-the-button-or-the-hand-in-order-to-be-heard-out/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Master Andry," pursued Jean Jehan, still clinging to his capital, "hold your tongue, or I'll drop on your head!" Master Andry raised his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/master-andry-pursued-jean-jehan-still-clinging-to-his-capital-hold/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love hip-hop, because you can do this like that and still be super successful! You aint gotta hold your tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busta-rhymes/i-love-hip-hop-because-you-can-do-this-like-that-and-still-be-super/) [Busta Rhymes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busta-rhymes/) > [I went through an evolutionary process of learning to have a voice and how to use it, knowing when to step in. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simu-liu/i-went-through-an-evolutionary-process-of-learning-to-have-a-voice/) [Simu Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simu-liu/) > [For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/for-god-s-sake-hold-your-tongue-and-let-me-love/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [Tell people like you see it be straight up with them don't hold your tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tell-people-like-you-see-it-be-straight-up-with-them-don-t-hold-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Selma Lagerlöf > [What is so certain of victory as patience?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/what-is-so-certain-of-victory-as-patience/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [It is not a good omen to meet a lot of cats when one sets out on a journey, so the Lieutenant spat three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/it-is-not-a-good-omen-to-meet-a-lot-of-cats-when-one-sets-out-on-a/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [“He needed so much to weep. All the distrust of life which misfortunes had brought to the little Värmland boy needed tears to wash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/he-needed-so-much-to-weep-all-the-distrust-of-life-which-misfortunes/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [Here, no mercy is shown. One hates one's fellow man to the glory of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/here-no-mercy-is-shown-one-hates-one-s-fellow-man-to-the-glory-of-god/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [“Assim manda a justiça - a inteligência e a sabedoria foram e são ainda hoje as qualidades que transformam o mendigo em príncipe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/assim-manda-a-justi-a-a-intelig-ncia-e-a-sabedoria-foram-e-s-o-ainda/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [No one is able to enjoy such feast than the one who throws a party in his own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/no-one-is-able-to-enjoy-such-feast-than-the-one-who-throws-a-party-in/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [More die in flight than in battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/more-die-in-flight-than-in-battle/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [Young horses who cannot bear the whip or spur find life hard. At every smart they start forward and rush to their destruction, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/young-horses-who-cannot-bear-the-whip-or-spur-find-life-hard-at-every/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [“What Gosta,' he said to himself, 'can you no longer endure? You have been hardened in poverty all of your life; you have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/what-gosta-he-said-to-himself-can-you-no-longer-endure-you-have-been/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [For what is man's soul but a flame? It flickers in and around the body of a man as does the flame around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/for-what-is-man-s-soul-but-a-flame-it-flickers-in-and-around-the-body/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [The ways of Providence cannot be reasoned out by the finite mind ... I cannot fathom them, yet seeking to know them is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/the-ways-of-providence-cannot-be-reasoned-out-by-the-finite-mind-i/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [Women can do nothing that has permanence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/women-can-do-nothing-that-has-permanence/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [Strange, when you ask anyone's advice you see yourself what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/strange-when-you-ask-anyone-s-advice-you-see-yourself-what-is-right/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [If dead things love, if earth and water distinguish friends from enemies, I should like to possess their love. I should like the green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/if-dead-things-love-if-earth-and-water-distinguish-friends-from/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [“É mais fácil voar alto do que baixo (...) é mais fácil voar depressa do que devagar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/mais-f-cil-voar-alto-do-que-baixo-mais-f-cil-voar-depressa-do-que/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) [Explore all 29 Selma Lagerlöf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) ## More Hold your tongue quotes > [“The footman burst in, announcing, 'Monsieur le Duc de ---.' 'Hold your tongue, you fool,' said the Duke as he entered the room. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/the-footman-burst-in-announcing-monsieur-le-duc-de-hold-your-tongue/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-best-time-for-you-to-hold-your-tongue-is-the-time-you-feel-you/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/for-god-s-sake-hold-your-tongue-and-let-me-love/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [I went through an evolutionary process of learning to have a voice and how to use it, knowing when to step in. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simu-liu/i-went-through-an-evolutionary-process-of-learning-to-have-a-voice/) [Simu Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simu-liu/) > [“And what is a friend? More than a father, more than a brother: a traveling companion, with him, you can conquer the impossible, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/and-what-is-a-friend-more-than-a-father-more-than-a-brother-a/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I love hip-hop, because you can do this like that and still be super successful! You aint gotta hold your tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busta-rhymes/i-love-hip-hop-because-you-can-do-this-like-that-and-still-be-super/) [Busta Rhymes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busta-rhymes/) > [“Master Andry," pursued Jean Jehan, still clinging to his capital, "hold your tongue, or I'll drop on your head!" Master Andry raised his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/master-andry-pursued-jean-jehan-still-clinging-to-his-capital-hold/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never hold anyone by the button or the hand in order to be heard out; for if people are unwilling to hear you, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/never-hold-anyone-by-the-button-or-the-hand-in-order-to-be-heard-out/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Sometimes it is best to hold your tongue and walk away so bitterness will not depart from your lips and defile you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaeeshia-ratcliff-davis/sometimes-it-is-best-to-hold-your-tongue-and-walk-away-so-bitterness/) [VaeEshia Ratcliff-Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaeeshia-ratcliff-davis/) > [“Hardly had the light been extinguished, when a peculiar trembling began to affect the netting under which the three children lay. It consisted of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/hardly-had-the-light-been-extinguished-when-a-peculiar-trembling/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“If it's painful for you to criticize your friends, you're safe in doing it; if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-duer-miller/if-it-s-painful-for-you-to-criticize-your-friends-you-re-safe-in/) [Alice Duer Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-duer-miller/) > [Life can be harsh. But it matters little. What matters is how well you hold your tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-can-be-harsh-but-it-matters-little-what-matters-is-how-well-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She looks exactly like a—like a gimlet." Marilla smothered a smile under the conviction that Anne must be reproved for such a speech. "A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/she-looks-exactly-like-a-like-a-gimlet-marilla-smothered-a-smile/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Evil does not exist; once you have crossed the threshold, all is good. Once in another world, you must hold your tongue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/evil-does-not-exist-once-you-have-crossed-the-threshold-all-is-good/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Hold your tongue and live your life, for it is in the way that you live that you speak the loudest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/hold-your-tongue-and-live-your-life-for-it-is-in-the-way-that-you/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) [Browse all 36 Hold your tongue quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-your-tongue/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never repeat a rumor before you have verified it. 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