a man of few words
a man of few words
A man who does not speak often or at length. Despite being a man of few words, Joseph was well-respected in his field because of his actions. My dad was a man of few words but a man of action, a hard worker who was always fixing things around the house. My grandfather was a man of few words, but you always felt safe and loved around him.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
man of few words
Fig. someone, not necessarily a man, who speaks concisely or not at all. He is a man of few words, but he usually makes a lot of sense.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
man of few words
see under few words.
of few words, man of
Also, woman of few words. A person who does not speak much; also, a person of action rather than words. For example, A woman of few words, Susan hardly seemed like a successful lawyer, or Harry's a man of few words but he gets things done. This characteristic has been considered praiseworthy since Homer's time, but the precise idiom dates only from about 1600. Shakespeare had it in Henry V (3:2): "Men of few words are the best men."
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
a man (or woman) of few words
a taciturn person.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
a man/woman of few ˈwords
a person who does not talk much: Mr Robins was a man of few words, but his opinions were always respected.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
man of few words, a
A person who speaks little but to the point; also, by implication, a person of action rather than words. Although most writers trace this expression to the Old Testament (“Let thy words be few,” Ecclesiastes 5:2), it is actually much older, appearing in Homer’s Iliad (“Few were his words, but wonderfully clear”). It appeared in John Ray’s 1678 proverb collection, and a version of “Few words are best” occurs in numerous other languages as well. See also strong silent type.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer