Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

speak softly and carry a big stick

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.67 in modern English

Syllables: speak -soft-ly and -car-ry a big -stick
IPA

55

Scrabble Score

28

Letters

6

Syllables

17

Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

Do not boast or utter verbal threats, but do make others aware that you are prepared to use physical or military force if necessary.

Example Sentences

"There is a homely old adage which runs: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.""
"Under any governmental auspices, as the modern world knows governments, the keeping of the peace comes at its best under the precept, "Speak softly and carry a big stick.""
"When it comes to China, we have gone from "Speak softly and carry a big stick" to "Take the fifth and carry a toothpick". (from a Congressional speech by Rep. James Traficant, June 22, 1998)"

Etymology

Popularized by and often attributed to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) as an expression of his view of foreign policy, possibly of earlier, West African origin according to his account, but with a probability of he himself having coined it. The full version is “speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”

Inflected Forms

talk softly and carry a big stick (alternative) walk softly and carry a big stick (alternative)

Phrases

big stick you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone

Frequently Paired Words

big stick you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone

Questions

What does speak softly and carry a big stick mean?: Do not boast or utter verbal threats, but do make others aware that you are prepared to use physical or military force if necessary.
Where does speak softly and carry a big stick come from?: Popularized by and often attributed to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) as an expression of his view of foreign policy, possibly of earlier, West African origin according to his account, but with a probability of he himself having coined it. The full version is “speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”

How to pronounce speak softly and carry a big stick

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