--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our words are no longer stronger than…" description: "\"Our words are no longer stronger than oak. No more does yes mean yes.\" — Thomas Redding" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/thomas-redding-283078_trust_our-words-are-no-longer-stronger-than-oa_470364.jpg" --- # Our words are no longer stronger than oak. No more does… ![“Our words are no longer stronger than oak. No more does yes mean yes.” quote by Thomas Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/thomas-redding-283078_trust_our-words-are-no-longer-stronger-than-oa_470364.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/thomas-redding-283078_trust_our-words-are-no-longer-stronger-than-oa_470364.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/thomas-redding-283078_trust_our-words-are-no-longer-stronger-than-oa_470364.jpg) > “Our words are no longer stronger than oak. No more does yes mean yes.” Thomas Redding ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words have lost their weight; agreements are now ambiguous. **In simple terms:** Words are no longer strong, promises are unclear. Key Takeaway Treat words carefully, clarify intent. Themes trust communication clarity integrity truth Mood skeptical reflective Type proverbial cautionary When to use this quote - legal contracts - personal relationships - business negotiations - political discourse Key Concepts semantic decay social contract linguistic erosion Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure your words are understood? - Can a single word still hold binding power? A Different Perspective Some may argue that language still carries power despite ambiguity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [Make your "yes" mean yes, and your "no" mean no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/make-your-yes-mean-yes-and-your-no-mean-no/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [My mother always says, "The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak." I can be very focused and determined. But, I can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lafleur/my-mother-always-says-the-bamboo-that-bends-is-stronger-than-the-oak/) [Sarah Lafleur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lafleur/) > [Words have longer lives than people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/words-have-longer-lives-than-people/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [It is necessary to study these words you have written, for the words have a longer history than you have and say more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-oppen/it-is-necessary-to-study-these-words-you-have-written-for-the-words/) [George Oppen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-oppen/) > [Long human words (the longer the better) were easy, unmistakable, and rarely changed their meanings . . . but short words were slippery, unpredictable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/long-human-words-the-longer-the-better-were-easy-unmistakable-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Words have a longer life than deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/words-have-a-longer-life-than-deeds/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [He should have known better because, early in his learnings under his brother Mahmoud, he had discovered that long human words (the longer the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/he-should-have-known-better-because-early-in-his-learnings-under-his/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“But words were no longer enough, smashing things was no more help. He wanted to run, he wanted to keep running and never look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/but-words-were-no-longer-enough-smashing-things-was-no-more-help-he/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [I say yes when I mean no and the wrinkle grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-say-yes-when-i-mean-no-and-the-wrinkle-grows/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [I don't think it is good if everyone says 'yes' when they mean 'no.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/i-don-t-think-it-is-good-if-everyone-says-yes-when-they-mean-no/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [Hey can mean anything. It can mean yes, it can mean maybe, it could mean no, it could mean next week. Hey, the bottom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/hey-can-mean-anything-it-can-mean-yes-it-can-mean-maybe-it-could-mean/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [“Every time you say 'yes' when you mean 'no,' you put a bullet in the head of the real you. You’re stacking bodies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lokesh-tuli/every-time-you-say-yes-when-you-mean-no-you-put-a-bullet-in-the-head/) [Lokesh Tuli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lokesh-tuli/) > [One of the most painfully inauthentic ways we show up in our lives sometimes is saying "yes" when we mean "no," and saying "no"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/one-of-the-most-painfully-inauthentic-ways-we-show-up-in-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I say yes when I mean no. I've done it all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/i-say-yes-when-i-mean-no-i-ve-done-it-all-my-life/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) > [“Did I want him to act? Or would I prefer a lifetime of longing provided we both kept this little Ping-Pong game going: not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/did-i-want-him-to-act-or-would-i-prefer-a-lifetime-of-longing/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) ## More Trust quotes > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [“We've all met people who are beautiful on the outside, however, when they open their mouths to speak, they have nothing of substance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/we-ve-all-met-people-who-are-beautiful-on-the-outside-however-when/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [He who mistrusts most should be trusted least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theognis-of-megara/he-who-mistrusts-most-should-be-trusted-least/) [Theognis of Megara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theognis-of-megara/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Being faithful shouldn't be challenging, cheating should. Too bad its the other way around though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-faithful-shouldn-t-be-challenging-cheating-should-too-bad-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes, the person you trust most is the one who trusts you the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/sometimes-the-person-you-trust-most-is-the-one-who-trusts-you-the/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Don't trust everyone, because one day you will shed tears of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunshine/don-t-trust-everyone-because-one-day-you-will-shed-tears-of-blood/) [SunShine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunshine/) > [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/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I think Canadians want to get a feel for the people who will serve them... and, for me, I think that Canadians will trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/i-think-canadians-want-to-get-a-feel-for-the-people-who-will-serve/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [The more I trust you, the less details I need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-i-trust-you-the-less-details-i-need/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trusting yourself is trusting the wisdom that created you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/trusting-yourself-is-trusting-the-wisdom-that-created-you/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Real love is not based upon romance,candle light,dinner and walk along beach.Infact,It's based on care,compromise,respect and trust..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-love-is-not-based-upon-romance-candle-light-dinner-and-walk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) [Browse all 15,519 Trust quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our words are no longer stronger than oak. 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