Fools rush in where angels fear to tread is a proverb. We will examine the meaning of the expression fools rush in where angels fear to tread, where it came from, and some examples of its use in sentences.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread is a proverb that means inexperienced people jump into situations that wiser, more experienced people avoid. The expression fools rush in where angels fear to tread was coined by Alexander Pope in his work An Essay on Criticism, published in 1711: “Nor is Paul’s Church more safe than Paul’s Church-yard: / Nay, fly to Altars; there they’ll talk you dead; / For Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.” As with many proverbs, only the first half, fools rush in, is often quoted with the assumption that the listener is familiar with the rest of the proverb.
Examples
Wise men say only fools rush in to a vanity film project for a singer of limited acting ability. (The Jewish Journal)
The entrepreneur and reality TV star’s quote was the song lyric “Wise men say/ Only fools rush in” in an image, and captioned it with another line from the song: “I can’t help falling in love with you.” (Newsweek)
When it comes to Petunias, only fools rush in (The Telegraph)
Only fools rush in, where wise men fear to tread. (The Cowichan Daily Citizen)