# What does ‘don't cry over spilt milk’ mean?

To “don't cry over spilt milk” means to don't lament what can't be undone. Brewer's records this as an old English proverb, familiar from the 17th century.

## What it means

- Brewer's records this as an old English proverb, familiar from the 17th century.

## Action steps

1. Standard consolation after a small loss.
2. Example: The meeting's over — don't cry over spilt milk.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

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