Fear has big eyes.

What it means

Fear makes threats look bigger than they are. The shadow is always larger than the thing that casts it. Look again, calmly, before deciding how bad it is.

The source

"Fear has big eyes." This Russian proverb is recorded in Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»). Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.

"У страха глаза велики."

Original Russian, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»). Text read at ru.wikisource.org.

Who said it

Proverbs of the world (Every age). Sayings from the Latin, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese and more, each traced to an old source in its own language.

Questions

What does "Fear has big eyes." mean?

Fear makes threats look bigger than they are. The shadow is always larger than the thing that casts it. Look again, calmly, before deciding how bad it is.

Who said "Fear has big eyes."?

Russian proverb. Source: Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»).

What is the original Russian?

У страха глаза велики. Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.

Is "Fear has big eyes." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Fear has big eyes." (Russian proverb, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»), translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/fear-has-big-eyes