Word.ws English Dictionary

it is not the whistle that pulls the train

it is not the whistle that pulls the train is the alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

Meaning of it's not the whistle that pulls the train

Proverb

it's not the whistle that pulls the train

  1. Boasting and loud talk should not be mistaken for the work that produces real achievements; bravado is no proof of action.
    • “In the words of the nursery rhyme,” says Mr. Green, “‘it isn't the whistle that pulls the train.’”1956 July 1, James Reston, “Washington: It's Not the Whistle that Pulls the Train”, in New York Times, page E8

Questions about it is not the whistle that pulls the train

What is it is not the whistle that pulls the train the alternative form of?
It is not the whistle that pulls the train is the alternative form of it's not the whistle that pulls the train.

Words near it is not the whistle that pulls the train in the dictionary

  1. it is no accident
  2. it is not even funny
  3. it is not every day
  4. it is not funny
  5. it is not just you
  6. it is not the whistle that pulls the train
  7. it is said
  8. it is to laugh
  9. it is what it is
  10. it isn't even funny
  11. it isn't funny

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: it is not the whistle that pulls the train (page history and authors); it's not the whistle that pulls the train (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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