- Meaning
- This proverb suggests that a person who is always moving, changing, or staying active avoids burdens, stagnation, or unwanted attachments, much like a stone that rolls and stays free of moss. It celebrates mobility and adaptability, often used to encourage exploration or to justify a restless lifestyle, though it can also imply avoiding responsibilities.
- Origin
- The phrase traces back to a Latin proverb attributed to Publilius Syrus (1st century BCE): *Saxum volutum non obducitur musco* (‘A rolling stone does not gather moss’). Erasmus included it in his 1508 *Adagia*. In English, it appeared in John Heywood’s 1546 *Proverbs* as ‘The rolling stone never gathereth mosse.’ Popularized in the 20th century by Muddy Waters’ song ‘Rollin’ Stone’ (1950) and Bob Dylan’s ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ (1965), it became a cultural touchstone for freedom and nonconformity, especially in rock and roll culture.
- Variants
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- Rolling stone gathers no moss
- A rolling stone does not gather moss
- Examples
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- He’s traveled the world for years, a rolling stone gathers no moss, always seeking new adventures.
- A rolling stone gathers no moss, so she keeps switching careers to stay challenged.
- They live as nomads, believing a rolling stone gathers no moss, free from routine.
- A rolling stone gathers no moss—that’s why he never stays in one town too long.
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