A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

a 1430 J. LYDGATE Pilgrimage of Man (EETS) 1. 20415 And at tavernys (withoute

wene [doubt]) Thys tooknys [signs] nor thys bowys grene.. The wyn they mende nat. 1545

R. TAVERNER tr. Erasmus’ Adages (ed. 2) 42V Wyne that is saleable and good nedeth no

bushe or garland of yuye [ivy] to be hanged before. The english prouerbe is thus Good

wyne neadeth no signe. 1599 SHAKESPEARE As You like It (Epilogue) 3 If it be true that

good wine needs no bush, ‘tis true that a good play needs no epilogue. 1711 ADDISON

Spectator 13 Nov. I was never better pleased than with a plain man’s compliment, who

upon his friend’s telling him that he would like the Spectator much better if he

understood the motto, replied, that good wine needs no bush. 1983 D. CLARK Monday

Theory vi. ‘Doesn’t advertise much, does she, Chief?’ said Reed. ‘Relies on the principle

that good wine needs no bush, perhaps,’ replied Masters. public relations; reputation

good see also as good be an ADDLED egg as an idle bird; ALL good things must come to
an end; good AMERICANS when they die go to Paris; BAD money drives out good; the BEST
is the enemy of the good; BETTER a good cow than a cow of a good kind; never BID the Devil
good morrow until you meet him; BRAG is a good dog, but Holdfast is better; it is good to
make a BRIDGE of gold to a flying enemy; a CHANGE is as good as a rest; CONFESSION is
good for the soul; a clean CONSCIENCE is a good pillow; the best DEFENSE is a good
offense; why should the DEVIL have all the best tunes?; DILIGENCE is the mother of good
luck; ENOUGH is as good as a feast; EVIL communications corrupt good manners; never do
EVIL that good may come of it; FAR-FETCHED and dear-bought is good for ladies; FIRE is a
good servant but a bad master; there are as good FISH in the sea as ever came out of it; HOPE
is a good breakfast but a bad supper; it’s an ILL wind that blows nobody any good; JACK is as
good as his master; a LIAR ought to have a good memory; LISTENERS never hear any good
of themselves; a MISS is as good as a mile; MONEY, like manure, does no good till it is
spread; NO news is good news; a NOD’S as good as a wink to a blind horse; there is
NOTHING so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse; see a PIN and pick it up,
all the day you’ll have good luck; any PUBLICITY is good publicity; the ROAD to hell is
paved with good intentions; good SEED makes a good crop; if it SOUNDS too good to be true,
it probably is; one STORY is good till another is told; you can have TOO much of a good
thing; when the WIND is in the east, ‘tis neither good for man nor beast.

goods see ILL gotten goods never thrive; TAKE the goods the gods provide.

goose see what is SAUCE for the goose is sauce for the gander; also GEESE.

When the GORSE is out of bloom, kissing’s out of fashion

Quots. 1846,1860, and 2002 explain the rationale behind this proverb and also the parallel