Word Quotes | Beyond Motive 2/3

top of page

Word Quotes

"I don't even like to use the word relationship. I don't know what it means."

"I don't even like to use the word relationship. I don't know what it means."

Ron Silver, American Actor

35

"No thesaurus can give you those words, no rhyming dictionary. They must happen out of you."

"No thesaurus can give you those words, no rhyming dictionary. They must happen out of you."

Dorothy Fields, American Musician

34

"Better break your word than do worse in keeping it."

"Better break your word than do worse in keeping it."

Thomas Fuller, English Clergyman

33

"Cancelled isn't a bad word because it happens everyday."

"Cancelled isn't a bad word because it happens everyday."

Wayne Brady, American Comedian

33

"Words are just words."

"Words are just words."

Luther Campbell, American Musician

33

"A picture is worth a thousand words. An interface is worth a thousand pictures."

"A picture is worth a thousand words. An interface is worth a thousand pictures."

Ben Shneiderman, American Scientist

Word, Words, Worth

33

"The best contraceptive is the word no - repeated frequently."

"The best contraceptive is the word no - repeated frequently."

Margaret Smith, American Comedian

33

"In the hands of a great poet, words have ways of affecting us in ways we don't understand."

"In the hands of a great poet, words have ways of affecting us in ways we don't understand."

Kenneth Branagh, Irish Actor

33

"'Programming' is a four-letter word."

"'Programming' is a four-letter word."

Craig Bruce, American Radio Host

33

"What makes me furious, not just because we're in an interview, but I don't like when writers take your words and put them somewhere else, in the wrong context in their own article about you."

"What makes me furious, not just because we're in an interview, but I don't like when writers take your words and put them somewhere else, in the wrong context in their own article about you."

Erykah Badu, American Musician

Word, Words, Writers, Wrong

32

"I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels."

"I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels."

John Calvin, French Theologian

32

"I jokingly refer to the word "gourmet" as the "g" word."

"I jokingly refer to the word "gourmet" as the "g" word."

Arthur Schwartz, American Composer

32

"I say there're no depressed words just depressed minds."

"I say there're no depressed words just depressed minds."

Bob Dylan, American Musician

32

"Your words smell of corpses."

"Your words smell of corpses."

Georg Buchner, German Dramatist

32

"I began in an era where four-letter words were not allowed."

"I began in an era where four-letter words were not allowed."

Pat Morita, Japanese Actor

32

"That word, fan, has always kind of bothered me."

"That word, fan, has always kind of bothered me."

Omar Epps, American Actor

32

"'Realistic' is a loaded word for me. Anyone who uses the word 'realistic' is all bad."

"'Realistic' is a loaded word for me. Anyone who uses the word 'realistic' is all bad."

David R. Brower, American Environmentalist

31

"If you have ever been in a real tragic or sad situation, the words that come out are hopelessly inadequate and kind of cliched."

"If you have ever been in a real tragic or sad situation, the words that come out are hopelessly inadequate and kind of cliched."

Erika Slezak, American Actress

31

"Words are all we have."

"Words are all we have."

Samuel Beckett, Irish Playwright

31

"I don't know if I'm striving for anything that I can put into words."

"I don't know if I'm striving for anything that I can put into words."

Fred Frith, English Composer

30

"Words are not pebbles in alien juxtaposition."

"Words are not pebbles in alien juxtaposition."

Learned Hand, American Judge

30

"Words contract a significance which clings to them long after the condition of things to which they owe it has passed away."

"Words contract a significance which clings to them long after the condition of things to which they owe it has passed away."

Joseph Barber Lightfoot, English Theologian

30

"We came up with three core touchy feely words."

"We came up with three core touchy feely words."

James Frank, American Physicist

30

"I live like a Hottentot. I cannot exchange one sensible word with anyone."

"I live like a Hottentot. I cannot exchange one sensible word with anyone."

Gustav Mahler, Austrian Composer

29

"A million words were going through my head and honestly I didn't say one of them. I wanted to let it sit, simmer, you know I wanted to soak it all in - the moment was amazing."

"A million words were going through my head and honestly I didn't say one of them. I wanted to let it sit, simmer, you know I wanted to soak it all in - the moment was amazing."

Stefano Langone, American Musician

29

"The only thing you have to know are your words."

"The only thing you have to know are your words."

Eva Gabor, Hungarian Actress

29

"I have been made redundant before and it is a terrible blow; redundant is a rotten word because it makes you think you are useless."

"I have been made redundant before and it is a terrible blow; redundant is a rotten word because it makes you think you are useless."

Billy Connolly, Scottish Comedian

29

"Yes and, you know, I can't use the nice words anymore because I used to chicken out by using them. I used to call myself plus size, used to call myself chubby. I used to call myself overweight."

"Yes and, you know, I can't use the nice words anymore because I used to chicken out by using them. I used to call myself plus size, used to call myself chubby. I used to call myself overweight."

Star Jones, American Entertainer

29

"I was a brat. It was crazy, I was very picky. In other words, I didn't take advantage of what was happening."

"I was a brat. It was crazy, I was very picky. In other words, I didn't take advantage of what was happening."

Sherilyn Fenn, American Actress

29

"But words - words are not enough!"

"But words - words are not enough!"

Klaus Kinski, German Actor

28

"'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.'"

"'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.'"

Lewis Carroll, English Author

28

"All I'm writing is just what I feel, that's all. I just keep it almost naked. And probably the words are so bland."

"All I'm writing is just what I feel, that's all. I just keep it almost naked. And probably the words are so bland."

Jimi Hendrix, American Musician

Word, Words, Writing

28

"I would be a liar if I said it wouldn't be lovely and soothing - that's the word - to have a hit single or a hit album."

"I would be a liar if I said it wouldn't be lovely and soothing - that's the word - to have a hit single or a hit album."

Mel Torme, American Musician

27

"Most metaphysical words in Hopi are verbs, not nouns as in European languages."

"Most metaphysical words in Hopi are verbs, not nouns as in European languages."

Benjamin Whorf, American Scientist

27

"Be aware that the more often a child hears the word no, the greater his need to say no himself."

"Be aware that the more often a child hears the word no, the greater his need to say no himself."

Cathy Rindner Tempelsman, American Author

27

"All Bridget Jones did was give us a word for it - singleton - which was the worst possible thing."

"All Bridget Jones did was give us a word for it - singleton - which was the worst possible thing."

Daisy Donovan, British Actress

27

"If Britney would paint her ass green, I'm sure you could spot green asses all over LA as soon as the word was out."

"If Britney would paint her ass green, I'm sure you could spot green asses all over LA as soon as the word was out."

Billie Joe Armstrong, American Musician

27

"I live on good soup, not on fine words."

"I live on good soup, not on fine words."

Moliere, French Playwright

27

"Maverick is a word which appeals to me more than misfit. Maverick is active, misfit is passive."

"Maverick is a word which appeals to me more than misfit. Maverick is active, misfit is passive."

Alan Rickman, British Actor

26

"I won't mention the word tired. This is the 20th century and I can go around a little faster."

"I won't mention the word tired. This is the 20th century and I can go around a little faster."

Geri Halliwell, British Musician

26

"Mum's the word."

"Mum's the word."

George Colman, English Dramatist

26

"The picture alone, without the written word, leaves half the story untold."

"The picture alone, without the written word, leaves half the story untold."

James Lafferty, American Actor

25

"I say myself no depressed words just depressed minds."

"I say myself no depressed words just depressed minds."

Brendan Behan, Irish Dramatist

25

"Words easy to be understood do often hit the mark; when high and learned ones do only pierce the air."

"Words easy to be understood do often hit the mark; when high and learned ones do only pierce the air."

John Bunyan, English Clergyman

25

"I'm the only instrument that's got the words, so I've got to be able to get that across."

"I'm the only instrument that's got the words, so I've got to be able to get that across."

Rosemary Clooney, American Musician

24

"When I was writing, I genuinely believed each word was my own."

"When I was writing, I genuinely believed each word was my own."

Kaavya Viswanathan, American Author

24

"We printed all the words out because otherwise nobody would be able to understand them."

"We printed all the words out because otherwise nobody would be able to understand them."

Paul Kantner, American Musician

24

"I never understood a word John Cassavetes said. And I think he did that deliberately."

"I never understood a word John Cassavetes said. And I think he did that deliberately."

Peter Falk, American Actor

23

"And it should be the law: If you use the word "paradigm" without knowing what the dictionary says it means, you go to jail. No exceptions."

"And it should be the law: If you use the word "paradigm" without knowing what the dictionary says it means, you go to jail. No exceptions."

David Jones, American Artist

22

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can get with just a kind word."

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can get with just a kind word."

Willie Sutton, American Criminal

22

bottom of page