shut the other openeth. 1620 T. SHELTON tr. Cervantes’ Don Quixote III. vii. Where one
door is shut another is opened. 1710 S. PALMER Proverbs 49 When one Door Shuts
another Opens... How often does the Divine Bounty surprize us with unthought of
Felicity! 1821 J. GALT Annals of Parish xxvi. Here was an example.. of the truth of the
old proverb that as one door shuts another opens;.. A full equivalent for her [the light-
headed Lady Macadam] was given in this hot and fiery Mr. Cayenne. 1925 S. O’CASEY
Juno & Paycock I. 16 ‘The job couldn’t come at a betther time.’.. ‘Ah, God never shut
wan door but he opened another.’ 1987 S. STEWART Lifting the Latch 105 They say one
door in life doesn’t close without another opening. 2002 Washington Post 30 Jan. C15
(Rhymes with Orange comic strip) ‘I always say, “When one door closes, another will
open.” In this case, when my office door closes behind you, Security will escort you to
the exit and open that door for you.’ opportunityONE for sorrow, two for mirth; three for a wedding, four for a birthA traditional country proverb found in a variety of forms, which refers to the number of
magpies seen on a particular occasion.
a 1846 B. HAYDON Autobiography (1853) I. V. During the journey four magpies
rose.. and flew away. .. I repeated.. the old saw, ‘one for sorrow, two for mirth, three for a
wedding, and four for death.’ 1846 M. A. DENHAM Proverbs relating to Seasons, &c. 35
One for sorrow: two for mirth: three for a wedding: four for a birth: five for silver: six for
gold: seven for a secret, not to be told: eight for heaven: nine for hell: and ten for the
devil’s own sel [self]. 1913 A. C. BENSON Along Road 162 I never see magpies myself
without relating the old rhyme: ‘One for sorrow, Two for mirth, Three for a death, Four
for a birth; Five, you will shortly be In a great company.’ 1999 A. L. BARKER Haunt
(2000) 53 A magpie flew up from the road, almost under his wheels. ‘One for sorrow,’
said the girl. ‘But there’s another in the hedge—two for joy.’ bird lore; omensONE for the mouse, one for the crow, one to rot, one to growOther forms of this traditional country saying relating to sowing are also illustrated here.1850 Notes & Queries 1st Ser. II. 515 How to sow Beans. ‘One for the mouse, One
for the crow, One to rot, One to grow.’ 1941 L. I. WILDER Little Town on Prairie ii.
‘Kernels,’ said Pa. ‘Four kernels... One for the blackbird, One for the crow, And that will
leave Just two to grow.’ 1961 N. LOFTS House at Old Vine I. 34 Careful farmers.. sow
their seed broadcast, saying: One for wind and one for crow One to die and one to grow.
garden lore