Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Saying ·286 of 348
"The proof is in the pudding."
They never said that.
What people say
"The proof is in the pudding."
What was actually said
"The proof of the pudding is in the eating." English proverb, c. 1605
Why it stuck
"Proof" here means "test" (as in proofreading). The truncated modern form is mystifying — proof is "in" the pudding how? — because the original verb of testing is missing.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.