--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In battle, you forgive a man anything…" description: "\"In battle, you forgive a man anything except an unwillingness to take risks. Sometimes you have to put it on the line.\" — Tom Clancy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/tom-clancy-1751_battle_in-battle-you-forgive-a-man-anything-exc_1729843.jpg" --- # In battle, you forgive a man anything except an… ![“In battle, you forgive a man anything except an unwillingness to take risks. Sometimes you have to put it on the line.” quote by Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/tom-clancy-1751_battle_in-battle-you-forgive-a-man-anything-exc_1729843.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/tom-clancy-1751_battle_in-battle-you-forgive-a-man-anything-exc_1729843.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/tom-clancy-1751_battle_in-battle-you-forgive-a-man-anything-exc_1729843.jpg) > “In battle, you forgive a man anything except an unwillingness to take risks. Sometimes you have to put it on the line.” [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Courage requires taking risks; forgiveness is withheld when someone refuses to act boldly. **In simple terms:** Risk is essential; forgiveness depends on willingness to act. Key Takeaway Embrace risk, avoid complacency. Themes courage risk forgiveness Mood tense determined Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - military missions - business negotiations - personal challenges - creative projects Key Concepts Leadership decision making confidence Questions to Reflect On - Are you avoiding risks that could lead to growth? - How does risk shape trust? A Different Perspective Risk avoidance can lead to missed opportunities and stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Memorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorable/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“It's impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-the-way-it-was-because-what/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The ability to forgive is one of man's greatest achievements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/the-ability-to-forgive-is-one-of-man-s-greatest-achievements/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [“It’s impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-the-way-it-was-because-what-4/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/we-can-forgive-a-man-for-making-a-useful-thing-as-long-as-he-does-not-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [A woman can forgive a man for the harm he does her...but she can never forgive him for the sacrifices he makes on her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-woman-can-forgive-a-man-for-the-harm-he-does-her-but-she-can-never/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“Never be so quick to forgive a man. If you do, you’ll only wind up being the expensive mat he wipes his nasty feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-law/never-be-so-quick-to-forgive-a-man-if-you-do-you-ll-only-wind-up/) [Adriana Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-law/) > [“It's impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-the-way-it-was-because-what-3/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [You must learn to forgive a man when he's in love. He's always a nuisance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-must-learn-to-forgive-a-man-when-he-s-in-love-he-s-always-a/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“It's one thing to forgive a man for his deeds against you, but it's quite another to let him go free when committing vile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royal-wade-kimes/it-s-one-thing-to-forgive-a-man-for-his-deeds-against-you-but-it-s/) Royal Wade Kimes > [We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-forgive-a-man-for-making-a-useful-thing-as-long-as-he-does-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I get out of here, if I'm ever able to set this down, in any form, even in the form of one voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-i-get-out-of-here-if-i-m-ever-able-to-set-this-down-in-any-form/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I can forgive a man’s past faults, his present shortcomings, and his future failures if every minute of every day he loves me like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/i-can-forgive-a-man-s-past-faults-his-present-shortcomings-and-his/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [“Learning that I could forgive my father, while realizing I did not have to let the aspects that I found unhealthy, disrespectful, and wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-winsomer/learning-that-i-could-forgive-my-father-while-realizing-i-did-not/) Neal Winsomer > [“But if you happen to be a man, sometime in the future, and you’ve made it this far, please remember: you will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/but-if-you-happen-to-be-a-man-sometime-in-the-future-and-you-ve-made/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I find it easy to forgive the man who invented a devilish instrument like dynamite, but how can one ever forgive the diabolical mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-find-it-easy-to-forgive-the-man-who-invented-a-devilish-instrument/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More by Tom Clancy > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [I understand why we do that now. It’s a help, not a threat. It’s something to remind you how important words are. Ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/i-understand-why-we-do-that-now-it-s-a-help-not-a-threat-it-s/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [People, I am actually fairly smart. Why has this not occurred to anyone? The information is all out there, if you go looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/people-i-am-actually-fairly-smart-why-has-this-not-occurred-to-anyone/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [Sunday was the normal day for the political awareness session at sea. 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(A third question, "What now?", is one the author asks himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/two-questions-form-the-foundation-of-all-novels-what-if-and-what-next/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [The smaller the mind, the greater the ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-smaller-the-mind-the-greater-the-ego/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not... Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/nothing-is-as-real-as-a-dream-the-world-can-change-around-you-but/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [An overnight success is ten years in the making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/an-overnight-success-is-ten-years-in-the-making/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [Bill Clinton is a man who thinks international affairs means dating a girl from out of town.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/bill-clinton-is-a-man-who-thinks-international-affairs-means-dating-a/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [The objective of a terrorist is to create political change in the society he targets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-objective-of-a-terrorist-is-to-create-political-change-in-the/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [“The Good of the People was a laudable enough goal, but in denying a man's soul, an enduring part of his being, Marxism stripped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-good-of-the-people-was-a-laudable-enough-goal-but-in-denying-a/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [(Stereotyping) is only for those without the imagination to see people as they are instead of being like someone else they understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/stereotyping-is-only-for-those-without-the-imagination-to-see-people/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [“The dead were gone and didn't know or care what they left behind.. If the dead still lived on the surface of this earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-dead-were-gone-and-didn-t-know-or-care-what-they-left-behind-if/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) [Explore all 209 Tom Clancy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. 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But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [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/) > [Pain held no terror for him. 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He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. 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But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In battle, you forgive a man anything except an unwillingness to take risks. 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