A rolling stone gathers no moss

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Meaning

Someone always on the move stays free of ties, unrooted.

Origin

From ancient Greece, tied to Publilius Syrus' proverb (1st century BCE), 'The rolling stone gathers no moss,' English by 1540s in a Heywood text for drift. A 1600s play uses it for a rover.

Variants

  • Rolling stone
  • Stone no moss

Usage Examples

  • He's a rolling stone gathers no moss; always gone.
  • A rolling stone; no ties for her.
  • Stone rolls; free of moss.

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