--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One-armed butlers, they can take it but…" description: "\"One-armed butlers, they can take it but they can't dish it out\" — Tim Vine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/tim-vine-9978_armed_one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-t_2261169.jpg" --- # One-armed butlers, they can take it but they can't dish it… ![“One-armed butlers, they can take it but they can't dish it out” quote by Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/tim-vine-9978_armed_one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-t_2261169.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/tim-vine-9978_armed_one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-t_2261169.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/tim-vine-9978_armed_one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-t_2261169.jpg) > “One-armed butlers, they can take it but they can't dish it out” [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A joke about people who can receive criticism but cannot give it themselves. **In simple terms:** People can handle being judged but not criticize others. Key Takeaway Recognize your own limits in giving feedback. Themes humor criticism social dynamics Mood playful lighthearted Type anecdotal humorous When to use this quote - workplace feedback - personal relationships - online comments Key Concepts reciprocity self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - Do you give as much as you receive? - How can you improve your feedback skills? A Different Perspective May overlook the value of constructive criticism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armed/) [Armed Butlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armed-butlers-5203286/) [Butlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butlers/) [Butlers Dish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butlers-dish-5203287/) [Dish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dish/) [Dishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishes/) ## Related quotes > [I have yet to discover a dish that will not come alive in the presence of champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anistatia-r-miller/i-have-yet-to-discover-a-dish-that-will-not-come-alive-in-the/) [Anistatia R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anistatia-r-miller/) > [My favorite dish is tandoori chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-khan/my-favorite-dish-is-tandoori-chicken/) [Shahrukh Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-khan/) > [In Mexico, everything on the menu is the same dish. The only difference is the way it's folded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/in-mexico-everything-on-the-menu-is-the-same-dish-the-only-difference/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [A table full of welcome makes scarce one dainty dish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-table-full-of-welcome-makes-scarce-one-dainty-dish/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Right now everything is great, everyone is happy, everyone is in love and that is wonderful. But you gotta know that sooner or later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-burns/right-now-everything-is-great-everyone-is-happy-everyone-is-in-love/) [Harry Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-burns/) > [A dish around which I see too many people doesn't tempt me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-green/a-dish-around-which-i-see-too-many-people-doesn-t-tempt-me/) [Julien Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-green/) > [Most cooks try to learn by making dishes. Doesn't mean you can cook. It means you can make that dish. When you can cook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-colicchio/most-cooks-try-to-learn-by-making-dishes-doesn-t-mean-you-can-cook-it/) [Tom Colicchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-colicchio/) > [When a customer receives a dish, they get food and design at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/when-a-customer-receives-a-dish-they-get-food-and-design-at-the-same/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [You're only as good as your last dish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hughes/you-re-only-as-good-as-your-last-dish/) [Chuck Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hughes/) > [Vengeance is a dish best served cold. (Thanatos) We’re in Alaska, dickhead. Here everything is cold. (Zarek)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/vengeance-is-a-dish-best-served-cold-thanatos-we-re-in-alaska/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [A wish is a dish that's a lot like a fish: Once it's been eaten it's harder to throw back. - Mr. Rakshasas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-b-kerr/a-wish-is-a-dish-that-s-a-lot-like-a-fish-once-it-s-been-eaten-it-s/) [P.B. Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-b-kerr/) > [The first dish pleaseth all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-first-dish-pleaseth-all/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [I cook a little bit. I make a Hungarian dish called chicken paprikash that's out of this world. I'll give a heads-up to all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/i-cook-a-little-bit-i-make-a-hungarian-dish-called-chicken-paprikash/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [Revenge is a dish best served unexpectedly and from a distance - like a thrown trifle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/revenge-is-a-dish-best-served-unexpectedly-and-from-a-distance-like-a/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Two words to improve any dish. Ba, Con](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-allen/two-words-to-improve-any-dish-ba-con/) [Ted Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-allen/) ## More by Tim Vine > [If you do weave one-liners into a story, you have to have an overall story as well, otherwise it doesn't really count as narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/if-you-do-weave-one-liners-into-a-story-you-have-to-have-an-overall/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [Crime in multi-storey car parks. That is wrong on so many different levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/crime-in-multi-storey-car-parks-that-is-wrong-on-so-many-different/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [I'd like to start with the chimney jokes - I've got a stack of them. The first one is on the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/i-d-like-to-start-with-the-chimney-jokes-i-ve-got-a-stack-of-them-the/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [My friend told me he was going to a fancy dress party as an Italian island. I said to him, ‘Don’t be Sicily’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/my-friend-told-me-he-was-going-to-a-fancy-dress-party-as-an-italian/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [I was in this restaurant and I asked for something herby. They gave me a Volkswagen with no driver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/i-was-in-this-restaurant-and-i-asked-for-something-herby-they-gave-me/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [So I got home, and the phone was ringing. I picked it up, and said 'Who's speaking please?' And a voice said 'You are.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/so-i-got-home-and-the-phone-was-ringing-i-picked-it-up-and-said-who-s/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [My mate asked me "What do you think of voluntary work?" I said "I wouldn't do it if you paid me."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/my-mate-asked-me-what-do-you-think-of-voluntary-work-i-said-i-wouldn/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [So I went to the Chinese restaurant and this duck came up to me with a red.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/so-i-went-to-the-chinese-restaurant-and-this-duck-came-up-to-me-with/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [You see my next door neighbour worships exhaust pipes, he's a catholic converter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/you-see-my-next-door-neighbour-worships-exhaust-pipes-he-s-a-catholic/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [Velcro: what a rip-off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/velcro-what-a-rip-off/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [I'm not someone who gets to play The O2 and places like that, but that's the kind of rock and roll venue. The popularity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/i-m-not-someone-who-gets-to-play-the-o2-and-places-like-that-but-that/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [So I went in to a pet shop. I said, "Can I buy a goldfish?" The guy said, "Do you want an aquarium?" I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/so-i-went-in-to-a-pet-shop-i-said-can-i-buy-a-goldfish-the-guy-said/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [People ask 'do you make a conscious effort not to swear?' - if you're doing silly stuff you're not tempted to put swearing in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/people-ask-do-you-make-a-conscious-effort-not-to-swear-if-you-re/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [People think that because of my act that I must have a really busy mind and I must be driven. I really am not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/people-think-that-because-of-my-act-that-i-must-have-a-really-busy/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [Ive decided to sell my Hoover… well, it was just collecting dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/ive-decided-to-sell-my-hoover-well-it-was-just-collecting-dust/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) [Explore all 69 Tim Vine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) ## More Armed quotes > [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [“Have you ever done this before?" "Done what?" "Attacked two armed men with sticks?" "No, but I'm looking forward to it," he smiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lenahan/have-you-ever-done-this-before-done-what-attacked-two-armed-men-with/) [John Lenahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lenahan/) > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [“Keep in mind that without the law, we’re not a military, just an armed gang that dresses alike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marko-kloos/keep-in-mind-that-without-the-law-we-re-not-a-military-just-an-armed/) [Marko Kloos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marko-kloos/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [We've had Saudis and Jordanians and Pakistanis who have - and Syrians - who have been involved in armed attacks against coalition forces in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/we-ve-had-saudis-and-jordanians-and-pakistanis-who-have-and-syrians/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [Scotland forms a crucial part of our Armed Forces which should not be jeopardised by rushed cuts or a rush to the exit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/scotland-forms-a-crucial-part-of-our-armed-forces-which-should-not-be/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Moroccan traffic isn't like normal traffic. It's armed combat, a war of wills, in which only the very bravest have a chance to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/moroccan-traffic-isn-t-like-normal-traffic-it-s-armed-combat-a-war-of/) [Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/) > [I have deep respect for our armed forces and jawans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-kumaraswamy/i-have-deep-respect-for-our-armed-forces-and-jawans/) [H. D. Kumaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-kumaraswamy/) > [“Neither the Russians nor the Americans were the cleverest people, or the most experienced, in the world that followed 1945. The French were rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach-2/neither-the-russians-nor-the-americans-were-the-cleverest-people-or/) [T.R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach-2/) > [“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/guard-with-jealous-attention-the-public-liberty-suspect-everyone-who/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) > [These men were religious when the spirit of religion was buried in forms and ceremonies, and when the priesthood had armed itself with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-a-hitchcock/these-men-were-religious-when-the-spirit-of-religion-was-buried-in/) [Ethan A. Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-a-hitchcock/) > [“How do you have an armed siege without guns?’ ‘She used Olympic standard archery equipment,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livia-day/how-do-you-have-an-armed-siege-without-guns-she-used-olympic-standard/) [Livia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livia-day/) > [A free people ought...to be armed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/a-free-people-ought-to-be-armed/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Browse all 267 Armed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One-armed butlers, they can take it but they can't dish it out", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tim Vine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-they-can-t-dish-it-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Armed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-they-can-t-dish-it-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/tim-vine-9978_armed_one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-t_2261169.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/tim-vine-9978_armed_one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-t_2261169.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caf/tim-vine-9978_armed_one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-t_2261169.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One-armed butlers, they can take it but they can't dish it out” — Tim Vine", "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": "Tim Vine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One-armed butlers, they can take it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-they-can-t-dish-it-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/one-armed-butlers-they-can-take-it-but-they-can-t-dish-it-out/#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 } } ] } ```