A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

repent diuine, and to perseuere diuelish. 1659 J. HOWELL Proverbs (French) 12 To erre

is humane, to repent is divine, to persevere is Diabolicall. 1711 POPE Essay on Criticism

1. 525 Good-Nature and Good-Sense must ever join; To Err is Humane; to Forgive,
   Divine. 1908 Times Literary Supplement 27 Mar. 1 The modern moralist pardons
   everything, because he is not certain of anything, except that to err is human. 2000 T.
   DALRYMPLE Life at Bottom (2001) 222 To err is human, to forgive divine: and the
   police have now taken up the role of divinities, making allowances for wrongdoers
   instead of apprehending them. forgiveness; wrong-doers

escape see LITTLE thieves are hanged, but great ones escape.

eternal see HOPE springs eternal.

Eve see when ADAM delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?

even see (adjective) don’t get MAD, get even; never give a SUCKER an even break;
(adverb) even a WORM will turn.

evensong see be the DAY weary or be the day long, at last it ringeth to evensong.

event see COMING events cast their shadows before; it is easy to be WISE after the event.

ever see NOTHING is for ever.

EVERY little helps

Cf. 1590 G. MEURIER Deviz Familiers A6 peu ayde, disçoit le formy, pissant en mer en
plein midy, every little helps, said the ant, pissing into the sea at midday.

1602 P. GAWDY Letters (1906) 118 The wrenn sayde all helpte when she—in the

sea. 1623 W. CAMDEN Remains concerning Britain (ed. 3) 268 Euery thing helpes,

quoth the Wren when she pist i’ the sea. 1787 E. HAZARD in Collections of

Massachusetts Hist. Society (1877) 5th Ser. II. 477 A guinea is a guinea, and every little

helps. 1840 MARRYAT Poor Jack xiii. It’s a very old saying, that every little helps. ..

Almost all the men were on the larboard side. 1988 J. MORTIMER Rumpole and Age of

Miracles (1989) 48 ‘I’ll get him to make a few inquiries relative to the bird in question.

Every little helps.’ assistance; great and small