Blood is thicker than water

"Blood is thicker than water" is a German proverb (originally: "Blut ist dicker als Wasser."), which is also common in English speaking countries. It generally means that the bonds of family and common ancestry are stronger than those bonds between unrelated people (such as friendship).

It first appeared in the medieval German beast epic "Reinhart Fuchs" (c. 1180 'Reynald the Fox') by Heinrich der Glîchezære, whose words in English read, 'Kin-blood is not spoilt by water.' In 1412, the English priest John Lydgate observed in 'Troy Book,' 'For naturally blood will be of kind/ Drawn-to blood, where he may it find.' By 1670, the modern version was included in John Ray's collected 'Proverbs,' and later appeared in Sir Walter Scott's novel 'Guy Mannering' (1815) and in English reformer Thomas Hughes's 'Tom Brown's School Days' (1857). In 1859, U.S. Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall, in command of the American Squadron in Far Eastern waters, made this adage a part of American history when explaining why he had given aid to the British squadron in an attack on Taku Forts at the mouth of the Pei Ho River, June 25, 1859, during a battle with the Chinese that year thereby infringing strict American neutrality.

More recently, Aldous Huxley's 'Ninth Philosopher's Song' (1920) gave the saying quite a different turn with 'Blood, as all men know, than water's thicker/ But water's wider, thank the Lord, than blood.' From "Wise Words and Wives' Tales: The Origins, Meanings and Time-Honored Wisdom of Proverbs and Folk Sayings Olde and New" by Stuart Flexner and Doris Flexner (Avon Books, New York, 1993).

"Relatives stick together; one will do more for relation than for others. A similar expression in German dates from the 12th century, but in English it seems to have been passed on verbally until the early 19th century when it appeared in print, in 1815, in Sir Walter Scott's 'Guy Mannering'" 'Weel - Blud's thicker than water - she's welcome to the cheeses.'" From "The Dictionary of Clichés" by James Rogers (Ballantine Books, New York, 1985).

"Relationships within the family are stronger than any other kind. The saying was first cited in John Lydgate's 'Troy Book' (c. 1412). Appeared in J. Ray's collection of proverbs in 1670. First attested in the United States in 'Journal of Athabasca Department' (1821)." From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" (1996) by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).

The phrase was collected in a book of proverbs in 1672. From "Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997).

In pop culture

*This is also a song title to a Black Label Society song, off the album "Shot to Hell".
*This is also a lyric in a Circa Survive song, off the album "On Letting Go".
*This is also a book by W. A. Hoffman. [ [http://www.alienperspective.com/Blood.html Blood Is Thicker Than Water by Wynette A. Hoffman ] ]
*This is also a song title by Impaled Nazarene, off the album "Suomi Finland Perkele"
*This is also the title of the new mixtape by Nu Jerzey Devil, The Game, Black Wall Street Records, Dipset and Lil Wayne. Produced by DJ Haze
*This is also a tattoo that M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold has across his chest.
*The Dream Theater song 'Honor Thy Father' from the 2003 album Train of Thought alludes to drummer Mike Portnoy's hatred of his stepfather in the lyrics and also to Blood is thicker than water:

References

* "Dictionary of American History", James Truslow Adams, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1940.

Links

*http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/40/messages/121.html