a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush en · X
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Calque of Latin plus valet in manibus avis unica quam dupla silvis (“a single bird in the hands is worth more than two in the forest”), possibly deriving from sources as old as the ancient Middle East, with the 6th century BCE Proverbs of Ahiqar including "a sparrow in thy hand is better than a thousand sparrows flying".
Meanings
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A sure thing is preferable to the mere chance at something more.
May. No, but the Sides are going to be changed ; and Sir Harry is to be ſome very great Man ; and as ſoon as he is, I am to be made an Embaſſador of. Mrs. May. Made an Aſs of! Will you never learn of me, that a Bird in the Hand is worth two in the Buſh ?
1737, Henry Fielding, Pasquin, Act II, Scene I, p. 27[An] acquaintance ... proposed to pay a ... proportion of the cost of the cellar provided he should have as his own everything of value that might be found [excavating]. A bird in the hand, thought Bardolph, is worth two in the bush, so he ... accepted the proposal.
1864, William W. Story, “The Campagna”, in Roba Di Roma, volume II, page 8:It is more sykyr a bryd in youre fyste Than to have thre in the sky above
15th c., John Capgrave, Life of St Katherine, Bodleian MS Rawlinson poet. 118, Bk. II
Relateds
something is better than nothing · a contented mind is a perpetual feast · the grass is always greener on the other side · half a loaf is better than none · beggars can't be choosers · don't look a gift horse in the mouth
Synonyms
better an egg today than a hen tomorrow · take the cash and let the credit go
Translations (55)
cmn 一鳥在手勝於十鳥在林 /一鸟在手胜于十鸟在林 (small but certain advantage is preferable) · cy gwell bach mewn llaw na mawr gerllaw (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ru лучше синица в руках, чем журавль в небе (small but certain advantage is preferable) · nl beter een vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht (small but certain advantage is preferable) · nb én fugl i hånden er bedre enn ti på taket (small but certain advantage is preferable) · sq flaka të djeg, prushi të ngroh (small but certain advantage is preferable) · fi parempi pyy pivossa kuin kymmenen oksalla (small but certain advantage is preferable) · de besser ein Spatz in der Hand als eine Taube auf dem Dach (small but certain advantage is preferable) · gd 's fhearr eun san làimh na deich air iteig (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ga is fearr breac sa láimh ná bradán sa linn (small but certain advantage is preferable) · gl vale máis paxaro na man que cento voando (small but certain advantage is preferable) · wa våt mî èn oujhea el mwin ki deus sol håye (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ms yang kejar tak dapat, yang dikendong berciciran (small but certain advantage is preferable) · hu jobb ma egy veréb, mint holnap egy túzok (small but certain advantage is preferable) · fr moineau à la main vaut mieux que grue qui vole (small but certain advantage is preferable) · pl lepszy wróbel w garści niż gołąb na dachu (small but certain advantage is preferable) · sh боље врабац у руци него голуб на грани (small but certain advantage is preferable) · lv labāk zīle rokā, nekā mednis kokā (small but certain advantage is preferable) · gd 's fhearr iasg beag na bhith gun iasg idir (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ms هارڤکن ݢوروه د لاڠيت, اءير د تمڤاين دچورهکن (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ms harapkan guruh di langit, air di tempayan dicurahkan (small but certain advantage is preferable) · pl lepszy wróbel w ręku niż cietrzew na sęku (small but certain advantage is preferable) · vi một con chim trong tay có giá trị hơn hai con trong bụi cây (small but certain advantage is preferable) · lv labāk zīle, kas man ir rokā, nekā mednis, kas vēl sēd kokā (small but certain advantage is preferable) · sv bättre en fågel i handen än tio i skogen (small but certain advantage is preferable) · he טוב ציפור אחת ביד משתיים על העץ (small but certain advantage is preferable) · pt mais vale um pássaro na mão do que dois voando (small but certain advantage is preferable) · nn ein fugl i handa er betre enn ti på taket (small but certain advantage is preferable) · lb Léiwer e Spatz an der Hand wei eng Dauf um Daach (small but certain advantage is preferable) · it meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ro nu da vrabia din mână pe cioara de pe gard (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ms يڠ کجر تق داڤت, يڠ دکيندوڠ برچيچيرن (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ga is fearr áirithe na srathrach ná iasacht na diallaite (small but certain advantage is preferable) · eo pli bona ol dek branĉoj sur centono (small but certain advantage is preferable) · lmo l'è mej un üsèll in man che cent che vola (small but certain advantage is preferable) · mk подобро врапче на рака отколку гулаб на гранка (small but certain advantage is preferable) · es más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando (small but certain advantage is preferable) · da en fugl i hånden er bedre end ti på taget (small but certain advantage is preferable) · be лепш верабей у руцэ, чым жораў пад небам (small but certain advantage is preferable) · hi नौ नक़द न तेरह उधार (small but certain advantage is preferable) · pl lepszy wróbel w ręku niż sokół na sęku (small but certain advantage is preferable) · mt aħjar għasfur f’idejk minn mija fl-ajru (small but certain advantage is preferable) · mk поарно врапче на рака отколку гулаб на гранка (small but certain advantage is preferable) · tr bir eldeki kuş çalıdakinin iki misli değerdir (small but certain advantage is preferable) · et parem varblane peos kui tuvi katusel (small but certain advantage is preferable) · sh bolje vrabac u ruci nego golub na grani (small but certain advantage is preferable) · hy փորձված թանը անփորձ մածունի հետ չեն փոխի (small but certain advantage is preferable) · km ចាបមួយនៅដៃប្រសើរក្រៃ ជាងចាបដប់នៅលើឈើ (small but certain advantage is preferable) · cs lepší vrabec v hrsti, nežli holub na střeše (small but certain advantage is preferable) · fur l'è miôr un ûf vuê che une gjaline doman (small but certain advantage is preferable) · sk lepší vrabec v hrsti ako holub na streche (small but certain advantage is preferable) · uk краще синиця в жмені, ніж журавель в небі (small but certain advantage is preferable) · ar عُصْفُورٌ فِي ٱلْيَدِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ عُصْفُورِينَ عَلَى ٱلشَّجَرَةِ (small but certain advantage is preferable) · fr un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras (small but certain advantage is preferable) · is betri er einn fugl í hendi en tveir í skógi (small but certain advantage is preferable)