A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

With reference to 1789 CHAMFORT in Marmontel Works (1818) II. 294 voulez-vous qu’on vous fasse des révolutions a l’eau rose, do ...

what’s he doing in the bloody circus?’ 1979 Daily Telegraph 15 Mar. 15 A producer who ‘can’t ride two horses at the same time sh ...

Principally known in the United States, this is one of several proverbs popularized by the Kennedy family. It is generally used ...

Cf. medieval L. mille vie ducunt hominem per secula Romam, a thousand roads lead man for ever towards Rome. c 1391 CHAUCER Astro ...

breaking up of a long frost’ (J. Bridge, Cheshire Proverbs). 1855 W. NEVILLE Life & Exploits of Robin Hood ii. Every one, at ...

notice.. said in one long line: Loose stones travel slowly. Well, I dare say they do: rolling stones, we know, gather no moss. c ...

There is always ROOM at the top The remark is popularly attributed to the American politician Daniel Webster (1782– 1852), and i ...

Never mention ROPE in the house of a man who has been hanged 1599 J. MINSHEU Spanish Dialogues i. A man ought not to make mentio ...

indianembassy.org) We have to protect humanity against war. Peace is not the absence of war.. It is the disarmament of minds tha ...

1824 EMERSON Journal (1961) II. 268 There is no royal road to Learning. 1857 TROLLOPE Barchester Towers II. i. There is no royal ...

says Tell your lawyer everything, Mr. Moy.’ .. ‘An old saying asserts that rules were made to be broken. You must remember that ...

run see also he who FIGHTS and runs away, may live to fight another day; the LAST drop makes the cup run over; STILL waters run ...

S Sabbath see Monday’s CHILD is fair of face. sack see EMPTY sacks will never stand upright. SAFE bind, safe find 1546 J. HEYWOO ...

If SAINT Paul’s day be fair and clear, it will betide a happy year The Conversion of St. Paul is traditionally celebrated on 25 ...

bring rain, For forty days it will remain. weather lore On SAINT Thomas the Divine kill all turkeys, geese, and swine The feast- ...

for a Goose is Sauce for a Gander. 1894 BLACKMORE Perly-cross III. v. A proverb of large equity.. declares.. that ‘sauce for the ...

Who SAYS A must say B Only recorded in English from North American sources. Cf. Du. wie a zegt, moet ook b zeggen, who says a mu ...

22 (1962) iv. 33 A little grease is what makes this world go round. One hand washes the other. Know what I mean? You scratch my ...

to sea for pleasure’d sure go to hell for pastime.’ idiosyncrasy The SEA refuses no river 1614 T. GENTLEMAN England’s Way to win ...

Of American origin: often shortened to the acronym wysiwyg (especially in computing) of a system capable of reproducing the scre ...