--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If they look as though they're worried…" description: "\"“If they look as though they're worried, we'll move in.' 'And do what exactly?' said Polly. 'Threaten to shoot them,' said Maladict firmly. 'And if the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/terry-pratchett-19_fighting_if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-w_2965058.jpg" --- # If they look as though they're worried, we'll move in.'… ![“If they look as though they're worried, we'll move in.' 'And do what exactly?' said Polly. 'Threaten to shoot them,' said Maladict firmly. 'And if they don't believe us?' 'Then we'll threaten to shoot them in a much louder voice ,' said Maladict. 'Happy? And I hope to hell they've got some coffee!” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/terry-pratchett-19_fighting_if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-w_2965058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/terry-pratchett-19_fighting_if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-w_2965058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/terry-pratchett-19_fighting_if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-w_2965058.jpg) > ““If they look as though they're worried, we'll move in.' 'And do what exactly?' said Polly. 'Threaten to shoot them,' said Maladict firmly. 'And if they don't believe us?' 'Then we'll threaten to shoot them in a much louder voice ,' said Maladict. 'Happy? And I hope to hell they've got some coffee!”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character proposes escalating threats, using intimidation and humor to coerce compliance, highlighting absurdity in power dynamics. **In simple terms:** Using threats and jokes to force others to obey. Key Takeaway Beware of coercion cloaked in humor. Themes power coercion absurdity Mood cautionary satirical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - negotiations - conflict resolution - team leadership - law enforcement Key Concepts authority psychology communication Questions to Reflect On - When is intimidation ineffective? - How can humor be used responsibly in conflict? A Different Perspective Overreliance on intimidation can backfire and erode trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [A little tip for you, Winged Wonder. Don't threaten the woman you want to seduce." See Annabelle take control. He reached out, gently brushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/a-little-tip-for-you-winged-wonder-don-t-threaten-the-woman-you-want/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [This was not a fairy-tale castle and there was no such thing as a fairy-tale ending, but sometimes you could threaten to kick the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-was-not-a-fairy-tale-castle-and-there-was-no-such-thing-as-a/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can find peace amidst the storms that threaten you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/you-can-find-peace-amidst-the-storms-that-threaten-you/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [I condemn all statements - made in sincerity or jest - that threaten or suggest the use of violence against the president of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-broun/i-condemn-all-statements-made-in-sincerity-or-jest-that-threaten-or/) [Paul Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-broun/) > [The bottom line is that weather events not only threaten private property and family budgets, but they also can decimate public resources and government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cartwright/the-bottom-line-is-that-weather-events-not-only-threaten-private/) [Matt Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cartwright/) > [Are we prepared to tolerate a world in which countries which care about morality lay down their nuclear weapons, leaving others to threaten the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/des-browne/are-we-prepared-to-tolerate-a-world-in-which-countries-which-care/) [Des Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/des-browne/) > [I revel in movies where the monsters tower more over the tiny budgets than the characters they threaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hewlett/i-revel-in-movies-where-the-monsters-tower-more-over-the-tiny-budgets/) [David Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hewlett/) > [“How long will you need?” “Two hours, no more.” “This had better work,” Gaynor said. “Do not threaten me,” Dominga said. Oh, goody, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/how-long-will-you-need-two-hours-no-more-this-had-better-work-gaynor/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [I control my life and I have never let success run away with me - I've taken it and ran. And the only thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaka-khan/i-control-my-life-and-i-have-never-let-success-run-away-with-me-i-ve/) [Chaka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaka-khan/) > [“Procrastination threatens to rob us of those things that are most important in our lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/procrastination-threatens-to-rob-us-of-those-things-that-are-most/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [When chimps threaten, they open their mouth and show their teeth. It's a little like waving a knife in front of you. It's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/when-chimps-threaten-they-open-their-mouth-and-show-their-teeth-it-s/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [Over the years, I've fought a number of polemical battles against ideas that threaten the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/over-the-years-i-ve-fought-a-number-of-polemical-battles-against/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Don't threaten me with love, baby. Let's just go walking in the rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/don-t-threaten-me-with-love-baby-let-s-just-go-walking-in-the-rain/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [“Not anymore. To bring an outsider in could threaten the safety of Ephani. What if I were on a date and she needed me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/not-anymore-to-bring-an-outsider-in-could-threaten-the-safety-of/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Never threaten, because a threat is a promise to pay that it isn't always convenient to meet, but if you don't make it good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/never-threaten-because-a-threat-is-a-promise-to-pay-that-it-isn-t/) [George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Fighting quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [“I bet she thought she was getting into a fight with a vanilla wafer on roller skates but little did she know she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-portes/i-bet-she-thought-she-was-getting-into-a-fight-with-a-vanilla-wafer/) [Andrea Portes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-portes/) > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [You have to fight gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-wine/you-have-to-fight-gravity/) [Sherwin Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-wine/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [It is sort of interesting that in our society this days we are very quick to apply the term 'war' to places where thare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/it-is-sort-of-interesting-that-in-our-society-this-days-we-are-very/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [Someone else who liked what I did might turn around and say, "She's reworking and rethinking everything. She could just be making blankets now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/someone-else-who-liked-what-i-did-might-turn-around-and-say-she-s/) [Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [There comes a time when you're losing a fight that it just doesn't make sense to keep on fighting. It's not that you're being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/there-comes-a-time-when-you-re-losing-a-fight-that-it-just-doesn-t/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) Browse all 13,685 Fighting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If they look as though they're worried, we'll move in.' 'And do what exactly?' said Polly. 'Threaten to shoot them,' said Maladict firmly. 'And if they don't believe us?' 'Then we'll threaten to shoot them in a much louder voice ,' said Maladict. 'Happy? And I hope to hell they've got some coffee!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-we-ll-move-in-and-do-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fighting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-we-ll-move-in-and-do-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/terry-pratchett-19_fighting_if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-w_2965058.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/terry-pratchett-19_fighting_if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-w_2965058.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/terry-pratchett-19_fighting_if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-w_2965058.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If they look as though they're worried, we'll move in.' 'And do what exactly?' said Polly. 'Threaten to…” — Terry Pratchett", "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": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If they look as though they're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-we-ll-move-in-and-do-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-they-look-as-though-they-re-worried-we-ll-move-in-and-do-what/#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 } } ] } ```