treat them mean, keep them keen

proverb

A woman will be more interested in a man if he is unkind to her.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen · alternative treat 'em mean to keep 'em keen

  1. informalA woman will be more interested in a man if he is unkind to her.
Cite this entry
APA

treat them mean, keep them keen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/treat%20them%20mean%2C%20keep%20them%20keen

MLA

“treat them mean, keep them keen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/treat%20them%20mean%2C%20keep%20them%20keen. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “treat them mean, keep them keen,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/treat%20them%20mean%2C%20keep%20them%20keen.

Source: treat them mean, keep them keen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.