A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Mahomet see if the MOUNTAIN will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the
mountain.

MAKE hay while the sun shines

1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs I. iii. A4 Whan the sunne shynth make

hey. 1583 B. MELBANCKE Philotimus 24 Yt is well therefore to make hay while the

sunne shines. 1835 J. CARLYLE Letters & Memorials (1883) 1.21 ‘It is good to make

hay while the sun shines,’ which means, in the present case.. to catch hold of a friend

while she is in the humour. 1924 E. BAGNOLD Serena Blandish vi. The countess’s

enthusiasm was cooling. Martin.. said warningly, ‘You must make hay, my child, while

the sun shines.’ 1999 ‘H. CRANE’ Miss Seeton’s Finest Hour xii. 100 ‘Our local garage

must have made a fortune out of me since this blackout nonsense began. .. Mind you,’ the

doctor added in a noncommittal voice, ‘I imagine they think of it more along the lines of

making hay while the sun shines..’ opportunity, taken

As you MAKE your bed, so you must lie upon it

Cf. late 15th-cent. Fr. comme on faict son lict, on le treuve, as one makes one’s bed, so one
finds it.

c 1590 G. HARVEY Marginalia (1913) 88 Lett them.. go to there bed, as themselues

shall make it. 1640 G. HERBERT Outlandish Proverbs no. 340 He that makes his bed ill,

lies there. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 16 As you make your bed, so you lye down.

According to your Conditions you have your Bargain. 1832 S. WARREN Diary of Late

Physician II. vi. As soon as his relatives.. heard.. they told him.. that as he had made his

bed, so he must lie upon it. 1921 A. P. HERBERT House by River v. There’s no doubt she

was out with one of them.. and went further than she meant,.. but if you make your bed

you must lie on it. 1997 Spectator 29 Nov 14 Your mother says serves you right, you’ve

made your bed and now you lie on it, I never liked him. action and consequence

make see also you cannot make BRICKS without straw; CLOTHES make the man; make
HASTE slowly; if you don’t make MISTAKES you don’t make anything; you cannot make an
OMELETTE without breaking eggs; you can’t make a SILK purse out of a sow’s ear.

male see the FEMALE of the species is more deadly than the male.

Mammon see you cannot serve GOD and Mammon.