A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

D daisy see it is not SPRING until you can plant your foot upon twelve daisies. damned see CORPORATIONS have neither bodies to b ...

struggles in India, the darkest hour proved to be that just before the dawn. 2002 Washington Times 4 Feb. B5 It is always darkes ...

One DAY honey, one day onion Arab saying. 1979 A. DUNCAN Money Rush 129 You get all sorts of figures in this country.. one day h ...

a 1547 E. HALL Chronicle (1548) Hen. VI 92V A prouerbe.. saith, a dead man doth no harme: Sir John Mortimer.. was attainted [con ...

deadly see the FEMALE of the species is more deadly than the male. There’s none so DEAF as those who will not hear Similar to th ...

Cf. CLAUDIAN De Raptu Proserpinae II. 302 omnia mors aequat, death levels all things. 1732 T. FULLER Gnomologia no. 1250 Death i ...

The best DEFENSE is a good offense The usual US version of ATTACK is the best form of defence. Also as a good offense is the bes ...

deserve see none but the BRAVE deserve the fair; a CIVIL question deserves a civil answer; one GOOD turn deserves another. DESPE ...

Is any one surprised at Mr. Jonas making such a reference to such a book for such a purpose? Does any one doubt the old saw that ...

Not even the rule that the Devil should not have all the best tunes could save ‘Happy Days Are Here Again.’ 2002 Times 23 July 1 ...

doesn’t he? But even he’s not so clever, either.’ 1985 B. KNOX Wavecrest vii. 140 He saw Andy Grey’s worried face and winked at ...

1620 BEAUMONT & FLETCHER Philaster V. i. What if.. they run all away, and cry the Devil take the hindmost. 1725 DEFOE Everyb ...

makes the Devil blush; YOUNG saint, old devil. DIAMOND cuts diamond Used of persons evenly matched in wit or cunning. Also frequ ...

DIFFERENT strokes for different folks Of US origin: strokes = comforting gestures of approval or congratulation. Quickly picked ...

digging see when you are in a HOLE, stop digging. DILIGENCE is the mother of good luck 1591 W. STEPNEY Spanish Schoolmaster L2V ...

ugly. 1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs I. V. B2 As this prouerbe saieth, for quench-yng hot desire, Foul water as soone as f ...

dismount see he who RIDES a tiger is afraid to dismount. dispose see MAN proposes, God disposes. DISTANCE lends enchantment to t ...

divided see a HOUSE divided cannot stand; UNITED we stand, divided we fall. divine see to ERR is human (to forgive divine); on S ...

c 1450 Proverbs of Good Counsel in Book of Precedence (EETS) 68 The beste wysdom that I Can [know], Ys to doe well, and drede no ...

1558 W. BULLEIN Government of Health 50 V I should not staye my selfe vpon the opinion of any one phisicion, but rather vpon thr ...