Brevity is the soul of wit

Cultural  

1. Intelligent speech and writing should aim at using few words. This proverb comes from the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare.

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Example Sentences

Brevity is the soul of wit, as Shakespeare told us.

From The Guardian • Sep. 27, 2017

"Brevity is the soul of wit," he says.

From The Guardian • Apr. 2, 2011

Brevity is the soul of wit, and of many other virtues in writing.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

We may instance such expressions as these: "Brevity is the soul of wit."

From Halleck's New English Literature by Halleck, Reuben Post

Brevity is the soul of wit, and wit is the soul of anecdote.

From The Ladies' Guide to True Politeness and Perfect Manners or, Miss Leslie's Behaviour Book by Leslie, Eliza