A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

may cost ten years’ weeding’. 1873 HARLAND & WILKINSON Lancashire Legends 190 One year’s seeding makes seven years’ weeding. ...

think about was the classic line about the opera never being over until the fat lady sings. 1992 Independent 11 Aug. 7 ‘You know ...

the hard way—and make the newspapers—is always pounding at the expert’s door. opportunity opportunity see also ENGLAND’S difficu ...

is better than cure. c 1576 T. WHYTHORNE Autobiography (1961) 142 I ment not to be on of thoz who waith [esteems] A chip of chau ...

now-a-days are not much thought of; out of sight out of mind with them. 1863 C. KINGSLEY Water Babies i. Sir John and the rest s ...

P It is the PACE that kills 1855 S. A. HAMMETT Wonderful Adventures of Captain Priest xv. The well-known sporting maxim, that ‘I ...

1658 in Mennis & Smith Wit Restored 35 There is a saying in the North Riding of Yorkshire that The weed [parsley] before it’ ...

1377 LANGLAND Piers Plowman B. xi. 370 Suffraunce [forbearance] is a souer- eygne vertue. c 1386 CHAUCER Tale of Melibee 1. 1517 ...

payment) originated as mid 20th-cent. US slang. 1966 L. COULTHARD in Director Aug. 228 Shareholders want the best available busi ...

If you want PEACE, you must prepare for war Translating the 4th-cent. AD Roman military writer FLAVIUS VEGETIUS Epitoma Rei Mili ...

before swine. gratitude and ingratitude; waste A PECK of March dust is worth a king’s ransom The month of March is traditionally ...

Take care of the PENCE and the pounds will take care of themselves The ‘Mr. Lowndes’ to whom quot. 1750 attributes this saying w ...

penny see also a BAD penny always turns up; IN for a penny, in for pound; NO penny, no paternoster. Like PEOPLE, like priest Wit ...

thyself,’ is the answer of his neighbours. 1979 G. SWARTH-OUT Skeletons 150 Tell me the truth. Don’t dig yourself in any deeper. ...

pie see the DEVIL makes his Christmas pies of lawyers’ tongues and clerks’ fingers. pie-crust see PROMISES, like pie-crust, are ...

The PITCHER will go to the well once too often A warning against pushing one’s luck too far. Cf. early 14th-cent. Fr. tant va po ...

man-of-war.. every thing in its place, and there is a place for every thing. 1855 T. C. HALIBURTON Nature & Human Nature I. ...

and Myths 205 The means to the end tend to block the full realization of the end. ‘He who plants thorns should not expect to gat ...

1472 E. PASTON Letter 16 May in Paston Letters (1971) I. 635 I am in serteyn the contrary is true—yt is nomore but that he can n ...

point see POSSESSION is nine points of the law. poison see one man’s MEAT is another man’s poison. poke see you should KNOW a ma ...