Meaning
Love makes people overlook faults or judge the person they love uncritically. Often affectionate or teasing, but it can sound dismissive of a person's considered choices. Regional use: Middle English literary proverb; now widespread.
Origin
The idea is classical, but its English proverbial form is securely medieval. In the Merchant's Tale, Chaucer writes that love is blind all day and may not see. Later writers, especially Shakespeare, helped keep the concise wording familiar, but they did not originate it. Blind is metaphorical here, describing impaired judgement rather than making a literal statement about sight.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- Love sees no faults
Usage Examples
- Everyone noticed his selfishness except Mira; love is blind.
- Love may be blind, but the bank still checks the mortgage application.
- He defended every dreadful song she wrote; love is blind.