“Standing on your dignity” meaning
Good day,
I found an old Melbourne, AU tram ticket from sixties. On the back of it there is a writing "Standing on your dignity is a very insecure footing".
Trying to decipher the phrase, I fail to understand what does "Standing on your dignity" means. It's one of those cases when I understand each word separately but not the phrase context :)
idioms idiom-meaning
asked 16 hours ago
Zaar Hai
1011
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add a comment |
Good day,
I found an old Melbourne, AU tram ticket from sixties. On the back of it there is a writing "Standing on your dignity is a very insecure footing".
Trying to decipher the phrase, I fail to understand what does "Standing on your dignity" means. It's one of those cases when I understand each word separately but not the phrase context :)
idioms idiom-meaning
asked 16 hours ago
Zaar Hai
1011
New contributor
Zaar Hai is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Any interpretation here would be subjective, but I'd interpret it as saying that dignity is something that shifts and is uncertain at any given time. Just like building a house on top of a poor foundation means it could collapse at any time, so is basing your actions on dignity a poor idea. No doubt because (or so I interpret this), dignity isn't something that the author thinks is permanent. ("I'll give you this large sum of money if you do something undignified.") It comes across as cynical.
– Jason Bassford
16 hours ago
add a comment |
Good day,
I found an old Melbourne, AU tram ticket from sixties. On the back of it there is a writing "Standing on your dignity is a very insecure footing".
Trying to decipher the phrase, I fail to understand what does "Standing on your dignity" means. It's one of those cases when I understand each word separately but not the phrase context :)
idioms idiom-meaning
asked 16 hours ago
Zaar Hai
1011
New contributor
Zaar Hai is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Good day,
I found an old Melbourne, AU tram ticket from sixties. On the back of it there is a writing "Standing on your dignity is a very insecure footing".
Trying to decipher the phrase, I fail to understand what does "Standing on your dignity" means. It's one of those cases when I understand each word separately but not the phrase context :)
idioms idiom-meaning
idioms idiom-meaning
asked 16 hours ago
Zaar Hai
1011
New contributor
Zaar Hai is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 16 hours ago
Zaar Hai
1011
New contributor
Zaar Hai is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 16 hours ago
Zaar Hai
1011
New contributor
Zaar Hai is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 16 hours ago
Zaar Hai
1011
asked 16 hours ago
Zaar Hai
1011
1011
New contributor
Zaar Hai is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Zaar Hai is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Zaar Hai is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Any interpretation here would be subjective, but I'd interpret it as saying that dignity is something that shifts and is uncertain at any given time. Just like building a house on top of a poor foundation means it could collapse at any time, so is basing your actions on dignity a poor idea. No doubt because (or so I interpret this), dignity isn't something that the author thinks is permanent. ("I'll give you this large sum of money if you do something undignified.") It comes across as cynical.
– Jason Bassford
16 hours ago
add a comment |
Any interpretation here would be subjective, but I'd interpret it as saying that dignity is something that shifts and is uncertain at any given time. Just like building a house on top of a poor foundation means it could collapse at any time, so is basing your actions on dignity a poor idea. No doubt because (or so I interpret this), dignity isn't something that the author thinks is permanent. ("I'll give you this large sum of money if you do something undignified.") It comes across as cynical.
– Jason Bassford
16 hours ago
Any interpretation here would be subjective, but I'd interpret it as saying that dignity is something that shifts and is uncertain at any given time. Just like building a house on top of a poor foundation means it could collapse at any time, so is basing your actions on dignity a poor idea. No doubt because (or so I interpret this), dignity isn't something that the author thinks is permanent. ("I'll give you this large sum of money if you do something undignified.") It comes across as cynical.
– Jason Bassford
16 hours ago
Any interpretation here would be subjective, but I'd interpret it as saying that dignity is something that shifts and is uncertain at any given time. Just like building a house on top of a poor foundation means it could collapse at any time, so is basing your actions on dignity a poor idea. No doubt because (or so I interpret this), dignity isn't something that the author thinks is permanent. ("I'll give you this large sum of money if you do something undignified.") It comes across as cynical.
– Jason Bassford
16 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
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oldest
votes
To "stand on your dignity" is to keep your dignity in the face of challenges and hardships.
answered 16 hours ago
Xteven
92
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Xteven is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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'To stand on one's dignity' is an idiom which means to insist on being treated with due respect.
Dignity cannot be achieved by force, it is given rather than taken.
So the statement means to say that it is a very insecure approach / assertion / path to demand respect forcefully. Respect should be earned and not demanded.
Kindly refer more details here and here
answered 14 hours ago
Explorer
1966
I just want to know why I have been down voted. I assume that I have given the most relevant answer here with supporting references.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
I'm not the downvoter—in fact, I'm the upvoter—but I think the negative vote may well have come because you merely linked to the content at Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary, rather than quoting the relevant definitions from the cited authorities. English Language & Usage seeks to provide one-stop shopping for readers, which in the case of explanations of meaning means including appropriate quotations within an answer. Having said that, I must say that I think your answer is quite solid in every other respect.
– Sven Yargs
13 hours ago
o i c. Thanks. But I did give the content of those links in a gist in my very first statement. I added the links only to substantiate my answer.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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To "stand on your dignity" is to keep your dignity in the face of challenges and hardships.
answered 16 hours ago
Xteven
92
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To "stand on your dignity" is to keep your dignity in the face of challenges and hardships.
answered 16 hours ago
Xteven
92
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Xteven is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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To "stand on your dignity" is to keep your dignity in the face of challenges and hardships.
answered 16 hours ago
Xteven
92
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Xteven is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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To "stand on your dignity" is to keep your dignity in the face of challenges and hardships.
answered 16 hours ago
Xteven
92
New contributor
Xteven is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 16 hours ago
Xteven
92
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Xteven is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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answered 16 hours ago
Xteven
92
answered 16 hours ago
Xteven
92
92
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Xteven is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
Xteven is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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add a comment |
add a comment |
'To stand on one's dignity' is an idiom which means to insist on being treated with due respect.
Dignity cannot be achieved by force, it is given rather than taken.
So the statement means to say that it is a very insecure approach / assertion / path to demand respect forcefully. Respect should be earned and not demanded.
Kindly refer more details here and here
answered 14 hours ago
Explorer
1966
I just want to know why I have been down voted. I assume that I have given the most relevant answer here with supporting references.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
I'm not the downvoter—in fact, I'm the upvoter—but I think the negative vote may well have come because you merely linked to the content at Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary, rather than quoting the relevant definitions from the cited authorities. English Language & Usage seeks to provide one-stop shopping for readers, which in the case of explanations of meaning means including appropriate quotations within an answer. Having said that, I must say that I think your answer is quite solid in every other respect.
– Sven Yargs
13 hours ago
o i c. Thanks. But I did give the content of those links in a gist in my very first statement. I added the links only to substantiate my answer.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
add a comment |
'To stand on one's dignity' is an idiom which means to insist on being treated with due respect.
Dignity cannot be achieved by force, it is given rather than taken.
So the statement means to say that it is a very insecure approach / assertion / path to demand respect forcefully. Respect should be earned and not demanded.
Kindly refer more details here and here
answered 14 hours ago
Explorer
1966
I just want to know why I have been down voted. I assume that I have given the most relevant answer here with supporting references.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
I'm not the downvoter—in fact, I'm the upvoter—but I think the negative vote may well have come because you merely linked to the content at Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary, rather than quoting the relevant definitions from the cited authorities. English Language & Usage seeks to provide one-stop shopping for readers, which in the case of explanations of meaning means including appropriate quotations within an answer. Having said that, I must say that I think your answer is quite solid in every other respect.
– Sven Yargs
13 hours ago
o i c. Thanks. But I did give the content of those links in a gist in my very first statement. I added the links only to substantiate my answer.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
add a comment |
'To stand on one's dignity' is an idiom which means to insist on being treated with due respect.
Dignity cannot be achieved by force, it is given rather than taken.
So the statement means to say that it is a very insecure approach / assertion / path to demand respect forcefully. Respect should be earned and not demanded.
Kindly refer more details here and here
answered 14 hours ago
Explorer
1966
'To stand on one's dignity' is an idiom which means to insist on being treated with due respect.
Dignity cannot be achieved by force, it is given rather than taken.
So the statement means to say that it is a very insecure approach / assertion / path to demand respect forcefully. Respect should be earned and not demanded.
Kindly refer more details here and here
answered 14 hours ago
Explorer
1966
edited 13 hours ago
answered 14 hours ago
Explorer
1966
answered 14 hours ago
Explorer
1966
answered 14 hours ago
Explorer
1966
1966
I just want to know why I have been down voted. I assume that I have given the most relevant answer here with supporting references.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
I'm not the downvoter—in fact, I'm the upvoter—but I think the negative vote may well have come because you merely linked to the content at Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary, rather than quoting the relevant definitions from the cited authorities. English Language & Usage seeks to provide one-stop shopping for readers, which in the case of explanations of meaning means including appropriate quotations within an answer. Having said that, I must say that I think your answer is quite solid in every other respect.
– Sven Yargs
13 hours ago
o i c. Thanks. But I did give the content of those links in a gist in my very first statement. I added the links only to substantiate my answer.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
add a comment |
I just want to know why I have been down voted. I assume that I have given the most relevant answer here with supporting references.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
I'm not the downvoter—in fact, I'm the upvoter—but I think the negative vote may well have come because you merely linked to the content at Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary, rather than quoting the relevant definitions from the cited authorities. English Language & Usage seeks to provide one-stop shopping for readers, which in the case of explanations of meaning means including appropriate quotations within an answer. Having said that, I must say that I think your answer is quite solid in every other respect.
– Sven Yargs
13 hours ago
o i c. Thanks. But I did give the content of those links in a gist in my very first statement. I added the links only to substantiate my answer.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
I just want to know why I have been down voted. I assume that I have given the most relevant answer here with supporting references.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
I just want to know why I have been down voted. I assume that I have given the most relevant answer here with supporting references.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
I'm not the downvoter—in fact, I'm the upvoter—but I think the negative vote may well have come because you merely linked to the content at Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary, rather than quoting the relevant definitions from the cited authorities. English Language & Usage seeks to provide one-stop shopping for readers, which in the case of explanations of meaning means including appropriate quotations within an answer. Having said that, I must say that I think your answer is quite solid in every other respect.
– Sven Yargs
13 hours ago
I'm not the downvoter—in fact, I'm the upvoter—but I think the negative vote may well have come because you merely linked to the content at Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary, rather than quoting the relevant definitions from the cited authorities. English Language & Usage seeks to provide one-stop shopping for readers, which in the case of explanations of meaning means including appropriate quotations within an answer. Having said that, I must say that I think your answer is quite solid in every other respect.
– Sven Yargs
13 hours ago
o i c. Thanks. But I did give the content of those links in a gist in my very first statement. I added the links only to substantiate my answer.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
o i c. Thanks. But I did give the content of those links in a gist in my very first statement. I added the links only to substantiate my answer.
– Explorer
13 hours ago
add a comment |
Zaar Hai is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Any interpretation here would be subjective, but I'd interpret it as saying that dignity is something that shifts and is uncertain at any given time. Just like building a house on top of a poor foundation means it could collapse at any time, so is basing your actions on dignity a poor idea. No doubt because (or so I interpret this), dignity isn't something that the author thinks is permanent. ("I'll give you this large sum of money if you do something undignified.") It comes across as cynical.
– Jason Bassford
16 hours ago