Fill in the blank with the best word: “An empty ______ cannot stand upright.”

Correct answer: Sack. The proverb is “An empty sack cannot stand upright”, meaning a hungry or poor person cannot work properly.

Background: It shows that people need their basic needs met before they can function well.

• Container: “Container” is not used in this proverb.
• Vessel: “Empty vessels make the most noise” is a different proverb.
• Bag: “Bag” is not used in this proverb.

Did you know? Proverbs have fixed wording and cannot be changed.

Memory trick: Sack stands only when full.