the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last

English

Proverb

the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last

1. When an object is used too much, it ultimately breaks down at some point.
   • 1957, Norman Rich, M.H. Fisher, The Holstein Papers, volume 2, page 317:

     On these last two points the Chancellor could have given way. He was adamant because he and Hebert wanted to demonstrate their power. The pitcher goes so often to the well, that it is broken at last.

   • 2006, Nigel McCrery, Still Waters, Book 1‎^[1], page 267:

     She couldn't have expected her luck to last forever: The pitcher goes so often to the well, that it is broken at last, wasn't that what they said?

   • 2005, Julie Baumgold, The Diamond: A Novel‎^[2], page 116:

     Madame knew her hour was fixed and she would not live a minute beyond it; nor did she want to, for, as she said, "The pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last." They bled her when she was too weak to resist, as doctors always do what they like when the patient is feeble.

Related terms

• go to the well

Translations

When you use a thing too much, it ultimately breaks

• Czech: tak dlouho se chodí se džbánem pro vodu, až se ucho utrhne (cs)
• Finnish: ruukku käy kaivolla, kunnes se särkyy
• French: tant va la cruche à l’eau qu’à la fin elle se casse (fr)
• German: der Krug geht so lange zum Brunnen, bis er bricht (de)
• Polish: póty dzban wodę nosi, póki się ucho nie urwie
• Portuguese: tantas vezes vai o cântaro à fonte, que um dia lá deixa a asa
• Romanian: ulciorul nu merge de multe ori la apă
• Russian: пова́дился кувши́н по́ воду ходи́ть — там ему́ и го́лову сломи́ть (povádilsja kuvšín pó vodu xodítʹ — tam jemú i gólovu slomítʹ)
• Spanish: tanto va el cántaro a la fuente que al final se rompe (es)