A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

c 1390 CHAUCER Wife of Bath’s Prologue 1. 389 Whoso that first to mille comth,

first grynt. 1548 H. BRINKELOW Complaint of Roderick Mors xvii. Ye haue a parciall

lawe in making of tachmentes [attachments, i.e. judicial seizure of one’s person or goods

(obsolete)], first come first serued. 1608 R. ARMIN Nest of Ninnies D1 He found Sexton..

making nine graues.. and who so dyes next, first comes, first seru’d. 1819 SCOTT

Montrose in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. IV. xii. All must.. take their place as soldiers

should, upon the principle of, first come, first served. 2002 Rough Guide: Hong Kong &

Macau 170 You can’t reserve seats on the ferries: it’s first come, first served, so get there

early at busy times. orderliness

The FIRST duty of a soldier is obedience

The last quotation presents a variation of the proverb.

1847 J. GRANT Romance of War IV. xv. ‘What do the wiseacres at head-quarters

mean, in sending a detachment there?’ ‘I suppose they scarcely know themselves. But

obedience—We all know the adage.’ 1872 G. J. WHYTE-MELVILLE Satanella II. xxiv.

‘The first duty of a soldier is obedience,’ he answered in great glee. 1915 F. M.

HUEFFER Good Soldier III. iii. She had been taught all her life that the first duty of a

woman is to obey. obedience; soldiers

FIRST impressions are the most lasting

1700 CONGREVE Way of World IV. i. How shall I receive him?.. There is a great

deal in the first Impression. 1791 H. JACKSON in Publications of Colonial Society of

Massachusetts (1954) XXXVI. 112 I am affraid it is too late.. and you know that first

impressions are the most lasting. 1844 DICKENS Martin Chuzzlewit v. I didn’t like to

run the chance of being found drinking it.. for first impressions, you know, often go a

long way, and last a long time. 1926 R. M. OGDEN Psychology & Education xii. Primacy

is popularly expressed by the statement that ‘first impressions are lasting’. 1946 J. B.

PRIESTLEY Bright Day ii. He ought to look neat and tidy. .. It’s half the battle.. making

a good first impression. appearance, significant

On the FIRST of March, the crows begin to search

1846 M. A. DENHAM Proverbs relating to Seasons, &c. 39 On the first of March,

the crows begin to search. Crows are supposed to begin pairing on this day. 1847 R.

CHAMBERS Popular Rhymes of Scotland (ed. 2) 165 On the first of March, The craws

begin to search; By the first o’April, They are sitting still. 1906 E. HOLDEN Country