LYING QUOTES IV

quotations about lies and lying

A lie has no legs, and cannot stand; but it has wings, and can fly far and wide.

CHINESE PROVERB

Tags: Chinese proverbs


A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar.

MARK TWAIN

attributed, Mark Twain and I

Tags: Mark Twain


All my life I have lied. I lied to escape, I lied to be loved, I lied for placement and power; I lied to lie. It was a way of living; lies are life's almost-anagram.

JOHN BANVILLE

Shroud

Tags: John Banville


A liar is a man who does now know how to deceive, a flatterer one who only deceives fools: he who knows how to make skilful use of the truth, and understands its eloquence, can alone pride himself in cleverness.

LUC DE CLAPIERS, MARQUIS DE VAUVENARGUES

Reflections and Maxims


The wickedness of lying consists in its perverting one of the greatest blessings of God, the use of speech; in making that a mischief to mankind which was intended for a benefit. Truth is the greatest bond of society. If one man lies, why may not another? And if there is no mutual trust, there is an end of all intercourse.

W. GILPIN

attributed, Musings About Men


A small lie, if it actually is a lie, condemns a man as much as a big and black falsehood. If a man will deliberately cheat to the amount of a single cent, give him opportunity and he would cheat to any amount.

E. H. CHAPIN

Living Words

Tags: E. H. Chapin


Lying is sometimes acted, insinuated, or implied, in a manner as injurious and shameful as when the falsehood is spoken outright.

ELIAS LYMAN MAGOON

Proverbs for the People


The slickest way in the world to lie is to tell the right amount of truth at the right time--and then shut up.

ROBERT A. HEINLEIN

Stranger in a Strange Land

Tags: Robert A. Heinlein


If a man will stand up and assert, and repeat and reassert, that two and two do not make four, I know nothing in the power of argument that can stop him.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

speech at Peoria, Illinois, in reply to Senator Douglas, October 16, 1854

Tags: Abraham Lincoln


An equivocation is nearly related to a lie. It is an intention to deceive under words of a double meaning, or words which, literally speaking, are true; and is equally criminal with the most downright breach of truth. A nod or a sign may convey a lie as effectually as the most deceitful language.

W. GILPIN

attributed, Musings About Men


Truth travels slowly and gets weaker as it goes. Suitable lies are strong and run faster.

ARIANA FRANKLIN

Mistress of the Art of Death

Tags: Ariana Franklin


A new study found that most people can't go 10 minutes without lying. But since the study took 20 minutes nobody knows what to believe.

JIMMY FALLON

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, May 8, 2012

Tags: Jimmy Fallon


Lying increases the creative faculties, expands the ego, and lessens the frictions of social contacts.

CLARE BOOTHE LUCE

attributed, Shameless Liar's Guide

Tags: Clare Boothe Luce


Men are liars. We'll lie about lying if we have to. I'm an algebra liar. I figure two good lies make a positive.

TIM ALLEN

attributed, Land Your Dream Job

Tags: Tim Allen


We cannot teach children the danger of telling lies to men without realising, on the man's part, the danger of telling lies to children. A single untruth on the part of the master will destroy the results of his education.

JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU

Emile

Tags: Jean Jacques Rousseau


One lie must be thatched with another, or it will soon rain through.

JOHN OWEN

The Sermons of John Owen


The most intangible, and therefore the worst, kind of lie is a half truth. This is the peculiar device of a conscientious detractor.

WASHINGTON ALLSTON

Lectures on Art and Poems


A lie is like a snow-ball; the longer it is rolled, the larger it is.

MARTIN LUTHER

Watchwords for the Warfare of Life

Tags: Martin Luther


One of the things cops learn first is that everyone lies. Some people to hide things, some people just for the hell of it, but everyone lies. Assume that everyone is hiding something, it saves time.

LAURELL K. HAMILTON

The Killing Dance

Tags: Laurell K. Hamilton


His lies were so exquisite I almost wept.

DAVE EGGERS

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