# What does ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’ mean?

To “the proof of the pudding is in the eating” means to judge something by trying it, not by talking about it. Brewer's lists this as a classic English proverb, recorded from the 17th century; the modern short form 'the proof is in the pudding' is a misquotation.

## What it means

- Brewer's lists this as a classic English proverb, recorded from the 17th century; the modern short form 'the proof is in the pudding' is a misquotation.

## Action steps

1. Common in debates over new ideas.
2. Example: Their plan sounds great, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

## 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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