A bird in the hand is worth two in the bushes vs A bird in the bushes is worth two in the hand

The correct phrase is 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bushes.' This proverb means that it is better to have a small but certain advantage than the possibility of a greater one that may not materialize. The incorrect version 'a bird in the bushes is worth two in the hand' reverses the meaning and does not convey the intended message.

Last updated: April 04, 2024 • 61 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to convey the idea that having something for certain is better than the possibility of getting something better.

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bushes"

This phrase is used to emphasize the value of what one already possesses over the potential value of something else that is uncertain.

Examples:

I decided to keep my job because a bird in the hand is worth two in the bushes.

Show examples from the web [+]

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bushes
A bird in the hand, Mr. Stafford?
"A bird in the hand's worth two in the bush"?
A bird in the hand... is worth my bush!
Looks like a bird in the hand just became three.
Get a bird in the air now.
But a bird in the hand... $10 million is a whole lot of birds, baby.
I need a bird in the air right now.
My wife found a bird in the back seat of her car once.
I got a bird in the hand in Tejas.
HPD's got a bird in the air, but we lost visual.
Let's get a bird in the air.
I want dogs in those woods and a bird in the sky.
Walter, we've got a bird in the hand here.
We haven't had a bird in the sky since the government shut us down.
He doesn't know the value of a bird in the hand.
Physics Vacuum The painting An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pumpw1 by Joseph Wright of Derby (1768) can be used to teach the history of vacuum.
But... a bird in the hand...
His arms are outstretched and he holds a bird in the right hand and a ball in the left.
With this in mind - for this was what I saw as essential - I said it would be better to have a bird in the hand at the moment and to make a start, for there was nothing else on offer.
A bird in the hand, Lumley.

This phrase is incorrect and reverses the intended meaning of the proverb. It is not commonly used in English.

"A bird in the bushes is worth two in the hand"

Show examples from the web [+]

A bird in the bushes is worth two in the hand
A bird in the hand, Mr. Stafford?
"A bird in the hand's worth two in the bush"?
A bird in the hand... is worth my bush!
Looks like a bird in the hand just became three.
Get a bird in the air now.
But a bird in the hand... $10 million is a whole lot of birds, baby.
I need a bird in the air right now.
My wife found a bird in the back seat of her car once.
I got a bird in the hand in Tejas.
HPD's got a bird in the air, but we lost visual.
Let's get a bird in the air.
I want dogs in those woods and a bird in the sky.
Walter, we've got a bird in the hand here.
We haven't had a bird in the sky since the government shut us down.
He doesn't know the value of a bird in the hand.
Physics Vacuum The painting An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pumpw1 by Joseph Wright of Derby (1768) can be used to teach the history of vacuum.
But... a bird in the hand...
His arms are outstretched and he holds a bird in the right hand and a ball in the left.
With this in mind - for this was what I saw as essential - I said it would be better to have a bird in the hand at the moment and to make a start, for there was nothing else on offer.
A bird in the hand, Lumley.

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A bird in the hand is worth two in the bushes vs A bird in the bushes is worth two in the hand