speak softly and carry a big stick

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Popularized by and often attributed to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) as an expression of his view of foreign policy, possibly of earlier, West African origin according to his account, but with a probability of he himself having coined it. The full version is “speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Chinese Mandarin: 溫言在口,大棒在手 /温言在口 — do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
• Chinese Mandarin: 大棒在手 (wēnyán zài kǒu, dàbàng zài shǒu) — do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
• Greek: όπου δεν τύπτει λόγος τύπτει ράβδος (ópou den týptei lógos týptei rávdos) — do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
• Ancient Greek: ὃν οὐ τύπτει λόγος, τύπτει ῥάβδος (hòn ou túptei lógos, túptei rhábdos) — do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force
• Latin: post verba verbera — do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force