Explaining "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink"

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 15/10/2024, 08:24

English.me team member

What does it mean?

You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink

The phrase means that you can provide someone with an opportunity or offer help, but you cannot force them to take advantage of it or accept it.

Tone

Wise and advisory

Origin

The proverb dates back to the 12th century and was recorded in Old English Homilies in 1175. It has been commonly used in English language literature over the centuries.

Examples of usage

I tried to teach him everything I knew, but his progress was slow. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
She gave her son the best education possible, but he's still not interested in studying. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.