an empty vessel makes the most noise

proverb Foolish, unwise, or stupid people are the most talkative. Of course silly old Aunt Helen babbles constantly—an empty vessel makes the most noise. An empty vessel makes the most noise, so don't pay attention to anything that fool says. She has no experience in the field, so of course she's going to try to give you advice. An empty vessel makes the most noise, right?

See also: an, empty, make, most, noise, vessel

an empty vessel makes the most sound

proverb Foolish, unwise, or stupid people are the most talkative. Of course silly old Aunt Helen babbles constantly—an empty vessel makes the most sound. An empty vessel makes the most sound, so don't pay attention to anything that fool says. She has no experience in the field, so of course she's going to try to give you advice. An empty vessel makes the most sound, right?

See also: an, empty, make, most, sound, vessel

broken vessel

Someone who is or feels completely destroyed, hollow, forsaken, or inadequate. Taken from the biblical symbolism of a person being a vessel into which God fills divine wisdom and grace. I have no one who cares about me, and I have no job or prospects. I'm feeling like a broken vessel these days. I don't see any of my clients as broken vessels, no matter how down and depressed they might feel. I'm not surprised she feels like a broken vessel—the earthquake killed her husband and completely destroyed their home.

burst a blood vessel

1. To put forth great effort towards some goal or end. Annabelle practically burst a blood vessel cleaning the whole house and setting up all the guest rooms for you guys, and you don't even appreciate it! I just about burst a blood vessel beating these physics equations into my head, so I better do well on this test! Come on, Mom, there's no need for you to burst a blood vessel making Thanksgiving dinner for everyone. Let one of us kids do it this year.

2. To become angry and begin yelling. The boss burst a blood vessel when he heard that the printer still hadn't finished our order. Mom is going to burst a blood vessel when she sees that you dented her new car! Look, man, this really isn't a big deal—don't burst a blood vessel.

empty vessels make (the) most noise

proverb Foolish, unwise, or stupid people are the most talkative. Of course silly old Aunt Helen babbles constantly—empty vessels make the most noise. Empty vessels make most noise, so don't pay attention to anything that fool says. She has no experience in the field, so of course she's going to try to give you advice. Empty vessels make the most noise, right?

See also: empty, make, most, noise, vessel

empty vessels make (the) most sound

proverb Foolish, unwise, or stupid people are the most talkative. Of course silly old Aunt Helen babbles constantly—empty vessels make the most sound. Empty vessels make most sound, so don't pay attention to anything that fool says. She has no experience in the field, so of course she's going to try to give you advice. Empty vessels make the most sound, right?

See also: empty, make, most, sound, vessel

weaker vessel

A woman. The phrase originated in the Bible. I don't care if you think I'm just a weaker vessel—I've trained to fight on the front lines.

Empty vessels make the most sound.

Prov. Foolish people make the most noise. I suspect Amy is not very smart. She chatters constantly, and as they say, empty vessels make the most sound.

See also: empty, make, most, sound, vessel

empty vessels make the most sound

empty vessels make the most noise

OLD-FASHIONED

People say empty vessels make the most sound or empty vessels make the most noise to mean that people who talk a lot and give their opinions a lot are often not very intelligent or talented. There's a lot of truth in that old saying, `Empty vessels make the most sound'. Those who are actually content with their choices are not usually interested in telling the rest of us about them. Note: People like this can be called empty vessels. These `experts' who talk a lot but actually say nothing have been shown up for the empty vessels they are. Note: A vessel is a container such as a jug, pot or jar.

See also: empty, make, most, sound, vessel

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

empty vessels make most noise (or sound)

those with least wisdom or knowledge are always the most talkative. proverb

Vessel here refers to a hollow container, such as a bowl or cask, rather than a ship.

See also: empty, make, most, noise, vessel

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

ˌburst a ˈblood vessel

(informal) get very angry and excited: When I told Dad I’d damaged the car, he nearly burst a blood vessel.

See also: blood, burst, vessel

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

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References in classic literature

He arrived there in 1687, and was received with great joy by the Duke of Albemarle and other English lords who had fitted out the vessel. Well they might rejoice; for they took by far the greater part of the treasure to themselves.

Tired of tending sheep, he next apprenticed himself to a ship-carpenter, and spent about four years in hewing the crooked limbs of oak-trees into knees for vessels.

There was a much better prospect, they thought, of growing rich by plundering vessels which still sailed in the sea than by seeking for a ship that had lain beneath the waves full half a century.

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"The vessel is as steady as a house, and the swing-table we are eating our breakfast on is as even as your dining-room table at home."

Our vessel was hove up in the wind, and the boat was lowered.

He was a sick and destitute foreign seaman, and he had hidden himself in the hold of an English vessel (bound to a port in his native country) which had sailed from Liverpool that morning.

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But when he observed in one corner of the vessel the little trunk in which she used to keep her jewels, which he well knew he had left in Algiers and had not brought to the garden, he was still more amazed, and asked her how that trunk had come into our hands, and what there was in it.

But, as good seldom or never comes pure and unmixed, without being attended or followed by some disturbing evil that gives a shock to it, our fortune, or perhaps the curses which the Moor had hurled at his daughter (for whatever kind of father they may come from these are always to be dreaded), brought it about that when we were now in mid-sea, and the night about three hours spent, as we were running with all sail set and oars lashed, for the favouring breeze saved us the trouble of using them, we saw by the light of the moon, which shone brilliantly, a square-rigged vessel in full sail close to us, luffing up and standing across our course, and so close that we had to strike sail to avoid running foul of her, while they too put the helm hard up to let us pass.

But as the moon did not show that night, and the sky was clouded, and as we knew not whereabouts we were, it did not seem to us a prudent thing to make for the shore, as several of us advised, saying we ought to run ourselves ashore even if it were on rocks and far from any habitation, for in this way we should be relieved from the apprehensions we naturally felt of the prowling vessels of the Tetuan corsairs, who leave Barbary at nightfall and are on the Spanish coast by daybreak, where they commonly take some prize, and then go home to sleep in their own houses.

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Morrel," said Dantes, approaching, "the vessel now rides at anchor, and I am at your service.

"Asked me questions about the vessel, the time she left Marseilles, the course she had taken, and what was her cargo.

The two oarsmen bent to their work, and the little boat glided away as rapidly as possible in the midst of the thousand vessels which choke up the narrow way which leads between the two rows of ships from the mouth of the harbor to the Quai d'Orleans.

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No description can do justice to its beauty; but that beauty was lost to me then, and I saw nothing but the tri-coloured flag of France trailing over the stern of six vessels, whose black hulls and bristling broadsides proclaimed their warlike character.

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Pilotage a dollar a foot on the draft of each vessel. Anchorage from sixty to seventy dollars.

The traffic with white men had put them in possession of vessels of superior description; they had made themselves acquainted with their management, and had even made rude advances in the art of ship-building.

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