little strokes fell great oaks

proverb

Small but persistent efforts can lead to big results.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. idiomaticSmall but persistent efforts can lead to big results.

    “Little strokes fell great oaks,” says the steady worker. “One stroke fells not an oak,” makes a piece of advice to the impetuous. In danger the insignificant may console themselves with the reflection that “Oaks may fall and reeds brave the storm.

    1873, The Dublin University Magazine: A Literary and Political Journal, page 685

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 水滴石穿
  • 水滴石穿 (shuǐdīshíchuān)proverb
Danish mange bække små gør en stor å
  • mange bække små gør en stor åproverb
Finnish jokainen pisara muovaa kiveä
  • jokainen pisara muovaa kiveäproverb
German steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein
  • steter Tropfen höhlt den Steinproverb
Hungarian lassú víz partot mos
  • lassú víz partot mosproverb
Japanese 石の上にも三年, 水滴石を穿つ
  • 石の上にも三年 (ishi no ue nimo sannen)proverb
  • 水滴石を穿つ (suiteki ishi o ugatsu)proverb
Tamil அடி மேல் அடி அடித்தால் அம்மியும் நகரும்
  • அடி மேல் அடி அடித்தால் அம்மியும் நகரும் (aṭi mēl aṭi aṭittāl ammiyum nakarum)proverb
Cite this entry
APA

little strokes fell great oaks. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/little%20strokes%20fell%20great%20oaks

MLA

“little strokes fell great oaks.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/little%20strokes%20fell%20great%20oaks. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “little strokes fell great oaks,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/little%20strokes%20fell%20great%20oaks.

Source: little strokes fell great oaks on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.