nothing ventured, nothing gained en · X
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Attested since 1546 in a book of English proverbs by John Heywood (see quotation below). Perhaps translated from or influenced by French Qui onques rien n'enprist riens n'achieva (“One who never undertook anything never gained anything”). Though a translation, a similar phrase of "Nothing ventured, nothing have." appears in Sir George Dasent's translation of the Icelandic text "The Saga of the Burnt Njal" (events occurring between 960 and 1020 A.D.), suggesting it may have gone back much further. However, certain translations of Herodotus 7.9 include "if nothing is ventured in life, then nothing is gained". Suggesting either the phrase or something similar stretches to even before 960AD.
Meanings
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If one takes no risks, one cannot gain (i.e., has no hope of gaining) any benefits.
Near-synonyms: no guts, no glory; no pain, no gain
Do not allow the danger of making a mistake to inhibit your initiative to the point of “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” It is much healthier to expect to make mistakes, take a few good risks now and then, and take your medicine when you lose.
1944, W. Julian King, The Unwritten Laws of Engineering, page 22:Her husband was one of those unfortunate men, called speculators. He believed that to gain thousands, thousands must be put in jeopardy—“nothing ventured, nothing gained,” was his rule, and he practiced it to perfection.
1842, E.S.J., “Julia Dayton: Or the power of truth over error”, in Universalist Union, page 609:Noght vēter noght haue spare to speke spare to spede
1546, John Heywood, A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the englishe tongue compacte in a matter concernyng two maner of mariages, The fyrste parte. The leuenth chapiter: