Never Say Never

Probably a pithy modern reformulation of the preceding proverb.

Mr Colley‥is politician enough never to say never.
[1977 Economist 9 Apr. 6]

Marshall did not rule out a resumption of talks, saying ‘you can never say “never” in this business.’
[1978 Washington Post 2 Mar. A1]

A president should ‘never say never.’
[1984 Washington Post 27 Apr. A23]

That proves you should never say ‘Never.’
[2002 Washington Times 18 Apr. B5]

Related to: future

Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.

Nothing is impossible, anything can happen, as in Mary said Tom would never call her again, but I told her, "Never say never." This expression was first recorded in Charles Dickens's Pickwick Papers (1837).

Never Say Never is an idiom in English, often used to mean "nothing is impossible," or "what is impossible now may not be at some later time." The term is used quite frequently, and may refer to

• Never Say Never (Alias album), a 2009 album by Alias
• Never Say Never (album), a 1998 album by Brandy
  • "Never Say Never" (Brandy song), a song from the album
• Never Say Never (EP), a 1982 EP by Romeo Void
  • "Never Say Never" (song), a song from the EP, also included on the 1982 album Benefactor
• Never Say Never (Kim Wilde album), a 2006 album by Kim Wilde
• Never Say Never: The First 20 Years, a 2001 boxed set by The Choir
• Never Say Never Again, a 1983 unofficial James Bond film
• "Never Say Never", a song by Jennifer Rush, included on the 1992 album Jennifer Rush
• "Never Say Never" (The Fray song), a song included on the 2009 album The Fray

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