Meanings
- UKWealth earned in one generation seldom lasts through the third (grandchild's) generation.
Synonyms: shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations, wealth does not survive three generations, sandals to sandals in three generations, the third generation ruins the house, goon to Grange to goon, stables to stars to stables
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbWealth earned in one generation seldom lasts through the third (grandchild's) generation.
Origin
From the common use of clogs by manual workers in north England and following the style of similar phrases which have been attested since 1700. The particular phrasing is perhaps of Lancashire origin. Compare shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 富不過三代 /富不过三代
- 富不過三代 /富不过三代 (fù bùguò sān dài)wealth earned in one generation seldom lasts
Finnish minkä yksi sukupolvi rakentaa, sen toinen kasvattaa ja kolmas hävittää
- minkä yksi sukupolvi rakentaa, sen toinen kasvattaa ja kolmas hävittääwealth earned in one generation seldom lasts
German erwerben, vererben, verderben
- erwerben, vererben, verderbenwealth earned in one generation seldom lasts
Cite this entry
clogs to clogs in three generations. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clogs%20to%20clogs%20in%20three%20generations
“clogs to clogs in three generations.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clogs%20to%20clogs%20in%20three%20generations. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “clogs to clogs in three generations,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clogs%20to%20clogs%20in%20three%20generations.
Source: clogs to clogs in three generations on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.