English 
español 
française 
italiano 
deutsche 
日本語 
polski 
česky 
svenska 
Türkçe 
Nederlands 
Explaining “A watched pot never boils.”
Anwar Kareem 15/11/2024, 17:24English.me team member
What does it mean?
The phrase "A watched pot never boils" is a proverb meaning that if you anxiously wait for something to happen, it will seem to take longer.
Tone
Advisory
Origin
The saying is a proverbial expression dating back to at least the 18th century and is commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin in his publication "Poor Richard's Almanack".
Examples of usage
- Don't keep checking the mail every hour; remember, a watched pot never boils!
- He was so eager for the project to succeed that he forgot the lesson of the watched pot never boiling.
- While waiting for her test results, she reminded herself that a watched pot never boils.
Recommended posts in 
Phrases
The best things in life are free
The phrase "The best things in life are free" suggests ... Learn more →
When you have seen one, you have seen them all
The phrase means that once you have seen one example ... Learn more →
No pain, no gain
The phrase "No pain, no gain" suggests that effort and ... Learn more →
Never say die
"Never say die" is an idiomatic expression used to encourage ... Learn more →