Believe everything you hear
Meaning
To believe everything you hear means to be extremely credulous and accept information as true without questioning or verification.
Origin
Imagine a bustling medieval marketplace, a hubbub of voices where every whisper could be fact or fiction, a merchant's ruin or a lover's hope. In such a world, where news traveled solely by word of mouth and confirmation was a luxury, the phrase "believe everything you hear" wasn't just advice; it was a dire warning. A gullible listener might buy rotten goods based on a seller's smooth talk, or spread a damaging rumor without thought, igniting feuds that spanned generations. This simple warning, born from the raw human experience of deception and misinformation in an age before verified news, became a cornerstone of practical wisdom, teaching critical discernment in a world brimming with both truth and cunning.
Examples
- You can't just believe everything you hear; always double-check your sources, especially with news these days.
- My grandmother, bless her heart, tends to believe everything she hears, which often leads to her spreading delightful but untrue rumors.