A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

lead see when the BLIND lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch; CROSSES are
ladders that lead to heaven; all ROADS lead to Rome.

leak see LITTLE leaks sink the ship.

lean see the FAT man knoweth not what the lean thinketh.

leap see LOOK before you leap.

learn see LIVE and learn; it is NEVER too late to learn; NEVER too old to learn; we must
learn to WALK before we can run; don’t go near the WATER until you learn how to swim.

LEARNING is better than house and land

Similar in sentiment to when HOUSE and land are gone and spent, then learning is most
excellent.

1773 D. GARRICK in Goldsmith She stoops to Conquer A3V When ign’rance enters,

folly is at hand; Learning is better far than house and land. 1800 M. EDGEWORTH

Castle Rackrent 191.. thanked my stars I was not born a gentleman to so much toil and

trouble—but Sir Murtagh took me up short with his old proverb, ‘learning is better than

house or land.’ 1859 J. R. PLANCHÉ Love & Fortune 8 ‘Learning is better than house

and land.’ A fact that I never could understand. 1939 Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland)

16 Mar. 19 (advertisement) Learning is better than house and land. And learning about

the offers among the Classified Ads will show you where to save money in buying house

and land. learning; property

learning see also when HOUSE and land are gone and spent, then learning is most
excellent; a LITTLE knowledge is a dangerous thing; there is no ROYAL road to learning.

LEAST said, soonest mended

c 1460 in W. C. Hazlitt Remains of Early Popular Poetry (1864) III. 169 Who sayth

lytell he is wyse..And fewe wordes are soone amend. 1555 J. HEYWOOD Two Hundred

Epigrams no. 169 Lyttle sayde, soone amended. a 1641 D. FERGUSSON Scottish