Speak softly and carry a big stick

Cultural  

1. A proverb quoted by Theodore Roosevelt as a brief statement of his approach to foreign policy. (See big stick diplomacy.)

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Example Sentences

Teddy Roosevelt, the famous trust-buster of the early 20th century, once advised: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

From US News • Jul. 12, 2016

"Speak softly and carry a big stick" is one of the most sensible policies to come out of the U.S. in this century.

From Time Magazine Archive

Teddy Roosevelt's advice to statesmen, "Speak softly and carry a big stick," has been put to good use by Britain's Prime Minister Edward Heath.

From Time Magazine Archive

In other words, Dwight Eisenhower had adopted T.R.'s maxim: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

From Time Magazine Archive

This was an illustration of Roosevelt's use of the old saying: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

From Theodore Roosevelt by Pearson, Edmund Lester