Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

still waters run deep

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.31 in modern English

Syllables: stil-l wa-ter-s run deep
IPA

24

Scrabble Score

18

Letters

4

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.

Example Sentences

"I always knew she was an artful jade; 'still waters run deep;' but she shall be exposed, the mask shall be stripped from the hypocrite."
"But still waters run deep; and no crisis had come in the years of her early maidenhood to demonstrate what lay hidden within her, like metal in a mine."
"Baxter had never known of any goings on in that quarter, but, bless you, still waters run deep, and these girls were all alike, one as bad as the other."
"Isabel Pierce, the central character of Sweetwater, Roxana Robinson's fluid third novel, gives the appearance of being a thoughtful, reserved, quiet woman who won't rock any boats in her life. Yet she harbors passions; it might be said of her that still waters run deep."

Etymology

Of Latin origin, but possibly popularized by William Shakespeare, c. 1590, in "Henry VI," part 2, act 3, scene 1: : Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep; : And in his simple show he harbours treason.

Inflected Forms

still water runs deep (alternative)

Phrases

empty vessels make the most noise the calm before the storm

Frequently Paired Words

empty vessels make the most noise the calm before the storm

Questions

What does still waters run deep mean?: A person with a calm appearance has, or may have, considerable inner emotion, character, or intellect.
Where does still waters run deep come from?: Of Latin origin, but possibly popularized by William Shakespeare, c. 1590, in "Henry VI," part 2, act 3, scene 1: : Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep; : And in his simple show he harbours treason.

How to pronounce still waters run deep

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