pitcher

little pitcher

A child. Primarily used in the phrase "little pitchers have big ears," meaning children hear everything, especially when you least expect them to. (The "ear" of a water pitcher is the handle.) Please watch what you say around the kids—little pitchers have big ears, you know. A: "Where did Susie learn such an inappropriate word?" B: "Who knows. Little pitchers like her tend to hear all sorts of things."

See also: little, pitcher

little pitchers have big ears

Children hear everything, especially when you least expect them to. The "ear" of a water pitcher is the handle. Please watch what you say around the kids—little pitchers have big ears, you know. A: "Where did little Susie learn that inappropriate word?" B: "Who knows. Little pitchers have big ears."

See also: big, ear, have, little, pitcher

little pitchers have long ears

Children hear everything, especially when you least expect them to. The "ear" of a water pitcher is the handle. Please watch what you say around the kids—little pitchers have long ears, you know. A: "Where did little Susie learn that inappropriate word?" B: "Who knows. Little pitchers have long ears."

See also: ear, have, little, long, pitcher

pitchers have ears

There might be someone present or nearby who could eavesdrop on one's conversation. The "ear" of a water pitcher is its handle. Let's go talk in my office. Pitchers have ears out here.

See also: ear, have, pitcher

the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last

proverb If one relies on something too much, it will eventually fail them. I know that being on a winning streak is very exciting, but just remember that it won't last forever. The pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last.

See also: broken, goes, last, often, pitcher, that, to, well

the pitcher will go to the well once too often

proverb A period of good luck will eventually end. I know that being on a winning streak is very exciting, but just remember that the pitcher will go to the well once too often. I'm sure he will continue to break the law until he gets caught. The pitcher will go to the well once too often.

See also: go, often, once, pitcher, to, well, will

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Little pitchers have big ears.

Prov. Children like to listen to adult conversations and can understand a lot of what they hear. (Used to warn another adult not to talk about something because there is a child present.) I started to tell Mary about the date I had on Saturday, but she interrupted me, saying, "Little pitchers have big ears," and looked pointedly at her six-year-old daughter, who was in the room with us.

See also: big, ear, have, little, pitcher

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

little pitchers have big ears

Young children often overhear something they should not. For example, Don't use any swear words around Brian-little pitchers have big ears. This metaphoric expression, which likens the curved handle of a pitcher to the human ear, was already in John Heywood's proverb collection of 1546.

See also: big, ear, have, little, pitcher

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.

little pitchers have big ears

Small children may overhear what they should not. This metaphor, which likens the human ear to the pitcher’s handle, was already stated in one of John Heywood’s proverbs (1546): “Avoyd your children, small pitchers have wide eares.” It was repeated several times by Shakespeare and was surely a cliché by the time Dickens referred to it in Bleak House (1853): “Charley verified the adage about little pitchers, I am sure.”

See also: big, ear, have, little, pitcher

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer