A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

completely ‘off with the old’. 1923 E. V. LUCAS Advisory Ben xxxix. That proverb about

being off with the old love is a very sound one. 1980 I. ST. JAMES Money Stones III. vi.

Off with the old and on with the new. Why not just come out with it? Tell her it’s all

finished. constancy and inconstancy; love

OFFENDERS never pardon

1640 G. HERBERT Outlandish Proverbs no. 561 The offender never pardons. 1672

DRYDEN Conquest of Granada II. I. ii. Forgiveness to the Injur’d does belong; But they

ne’r pardon who have done the wrong. 1876 I. BANKS Manchester Man III. xiii. He was

of Mrs. Ashton’s mind, that, ‘as offenders never pardon’, Augusta needed a friend.

forgiveness; wrong-doers

offense see ATTACK is the best form of defence; the best DEFENSE is a good offense.

OLD habits die hard

1758 B. FRANKLIN in London Chronicle 26–28 Dec. 632 I hear the reader say,

Habits are hard to break, and those.. accustomed to idleness or extravagance do not easily

change their manners. 1792 J. BELKNAP Foresters ix. Old habits are not easily broken,

and.. they endeavoured.. to transfer the blame from him to his wife. 1944 ‘H. TALBOT’

Rim of Pit xv. ‘Miss Daventry.. started to run. Naturally I ran after her.’ Rogan smiled.

‘Old habits die hard.’ 2002 Washington Times 6 Mar. A2 Lately, we’ve heard high French

officials denounce our nation’s anti-terrorism policies as ‘simplistic’ and seen a French

Olympic skating judge given the heave for apparently conspiring to aid the Russians (old

habits die hard). 2007 Times 13 Sept. 18 Things may have changed, but old habits die

hard and Portugal’s historic habits more than justify suspicions about its police force’s

methods, motives and obsessional secrecy. habit

You cannot put an OLD head on young shoulders

1591 H. SMITH Preparative to Marriage 14 It is not good grafting of an olde head

vppon young shoulders, for they will neuer beare it willingly but grudgingly. 1794 E.

DRINKER Journal 31 Dec. (1889) 256 Tis not the way I could wish my children to

conclude the year—in parties—but we can’t put old heads on young shoulders. 1951

Sport 30 Mar.-5 Apr. 111 no longer believe in the old proverb that you cannot put an old

head on young shoulders. 1975 J. PORTER Package included Murder xvi. The Hon. Con

generously forgave her. Well, you can’t expect old heads on young shoulders, can you?

wisdom; youth