"You hesitate to stab me with a word, and know not - silence is the sharper sword"

This quote by Samuel Johnson is a tip that words can be effective weapons, which sometimes silence can be even more effective. Johnson is recommending that it is much better to remain quiet than to use words to hurt somebody. He is saying that it is better to stay quiet than to utilize words to assault somebody, as silence can be a more effective weapon. Silence can be a powerful tool to show disapproval or to express disapproval without having to resort to spoken attacks. Silence can also be utilized to show respect and understanding, and to permit someone to believe and assess their own. Johnson is suggesting that it is much better to remain silent than to utilize words to injure someone, as silence can be a more reliable weapon. Silence can be an effective tool to reveal disapproval or to reveal displeasure without needing to resort to spoken attacks. Silence can likewise be utilized to show respect and understanding, and to enable someone to think and assess their own.