daughter’s fight with..’A good Jack makes a good Jill.’ men and womenGOOD men are scarce
1609 D. TUVILL Essays Moral & Theological 92 Good men are scarce, no age so
many brings As Thebes hath gates. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 124 Good Folks are
scarce, you’ll take care of one. Spoken to those who carefully provide against ill Weather,
or cowardly shun Dangers. 1836 DICKENS Sketches by Boz I. 285 One of the women has
agreed to stand a glass round, jocularly observing that ‘as good people’s wery scarce,
what I says is, make the most on ’em.’ 1979 ‘J. LECARRÉ ‘ Smiley’s People xii. Time
you had some shut-eye, isn’t it? Good men are scarce, I always say. good and evilThere’s many a GOOD tune played on an old fiddle
a 1902 S. BUTLER Way of All Flesh (1903) lxi. Beyond a haricot vein in one of my
legs I’m as young as ever I was. Old indeed! There’s many a good tune played on an old
fiddle. 1979 N. FREELING Widow xxx. He looked at her casually. .. ‘Not all that bad at
that. Many a good tune played on an old fiddle.’ 2002 G. PHINN Head over Heels in
Dales 9 Dun’t really matter what it looks like, though, does it? It’s what inside that
counts, my grandad says. Same wi’ people, he says. ‘Many a good tune played on an owd
fiddle.’ appearance, deceptive; old ageOne GOOD turn deserves another
Cf. early 14th-cent. Fr. lune bonté requiert lautre, one good deed deserves another.
c 1400 in Bulletin of John Rylands Library (1930) XIV. 92 O [one] good turne asket
another. 1620 J. HALL Contemplations V. XIV. 28 One good turne requires another. ..
Justly should they haue been set at the vpper end of the table. 1638 T. RANDOLPH
Amyntas V. vi. One good turne deserves another. 1929 S. T. WARNER True Heart II. 151
You’ve given me the best laugh I’ve had for months, and one good turn deserves another.
1979 T. SHARPE Wilt Alternative xiv. Noblesse oblige? You know, one good turn
deserves another and whatnot. reciprocityGOOD wine needs no bush
A bunch of ivy was formerly the sign of a vintner’s shop.