Cf. mid 14th-cent. Fr. mais il n’est chose qui ne fine, ne qui ne viengne à son termine, but
there is nothing which doesn’t end, which doesn’t come to its conclusion.
c 1385 CHAUCER Troilus & Criseyde III. 615 At the laste, as every thyng hath
ende, She took hire leve. 1616 N. BRETON Crossing of Proverbs A6 ‘Euery thing hath an
end’.. ‘Not so, a Ring hath none.’ 1841 DICKENS Barnaby Rudge xx. Everything has an
end. Even young ladies in love cannot read their letters for ever. 1980 D. FRANCIS
Reflex viii. Can’t go on for ever, more’s the pity. Everything ends, doesn’t it. finalityeverything see also ALL things come to those who wait; when all you have is a
HAMMER, everything looks like a nail; MONEY isn’t everything; a PLACE for everything,
and everything in its place; there is a REMEDY for everything except death; there is a TIME
and place for everything; there is a TIME for everything.
evidence see what the SOLDIER said isn’t evidence.EVIL communications corrupt good mannersProper conduct is harmfully influenced by false information or knowledge; also used to
assert the deleterious effect of bad example. With allusion to I CORINTHIANS xv. 33 (AV)
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
c 1425 J. ARDERNE Treatises of Fistula (EETS) 5 Shrewed speche corrumpith gode
maners. 1533 MORE Debellation [subjugation] of Salem xiv. (As saynt Poule speketh of
such heresyes) euyl communication corrupteth good maners. 1749 FIELDING Tom Jones
I V. XII. iii. I heartily wish you would.. not think of going among them.—Evil
Communication corrupts good Manners. 1874 TROLLOPE Phineas Redux I. xvi. [The
horse] would have taken the fence.. but Dandolo had baulked.. and evil communications
will corrupt good manners. 1939 W. S. MAUGHAM Christmas Holiday ii. A disposition
of such sweetness that no evil communication could corrupt his good manners. 1973 ‘M.
INNES’ Appleby’s Answer ii. One can’t be too careful in choosing a well-bred cat’s
company. .. Evil communications corrupt good manners. conduct; example, good and
badEVIL doers are evil dreadersa 1568 R. ASCHAM Schoolmaster (1570) I. 27 Ill doinges, breed ill thinkinges. And
corrupted manners, spryng perverted iudgements. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 176