think about was the classic line about the opera never being over until the fat lady sings.
1992 Independent 11 Aug. 7 ‘You know, they say that the show’s never over until the fat
lady sings,’ Mr Bolger said. ‘Well, I think it was her we heard warming up in the wings
this week.’ 2002 Times 2 July 19 [T]he Royal Opera House’s leading lady whose dress
was set on fire by an on-stage candle is a classic case of it ain’t over till the fat lady
singes. finalityopinion see he that COMPLIES against his will is of his own opinion still; so many MEN,
so many opinions.
OPPORTUNITY makes a thiefc 1220 Hali Meidenhad (EETS) 23 Man seith that eise maketh theof. 1387 J.
TREVISA tr. Higden’s Polychronicon (1879) VII. 379 At the laste the bischop seide to
hym, ‘Me thenke that opportunitie makethe a thefe’. 1623 W. CAMDEN Remains
concerning Britain (ed. 3) 275 Opportunity makes the thief. 1670 J. RAY English
Proverbs 129 Opportunity makes the thief... Therefore, masters.. ought to secure their
moneys and goods under lock and key, that they do not give.. a temptation to steal. 1835
SOUTHEY Doctor III. cv. Opportunity, which makes thieves, makes lovers also. 1979
Daedalus Summer 107 A child steals from the sleeping woman’s pocket, acting out the
proverb ‘Opportunity makes a thief.’ honesty and dishonesty; opportunity, takenOPPORTUNITY never knocks twice at any man’s doorFortune occurs instead of opportunity in earlier forms of the saying. Several quotations
below represent slightly different ideas based on the original proverb. In quots. 1809 and 1981,
Opportunity is said to knock once or more, but in other quotations, once only. Cf. early 15th-
cent Fr. il n’est chance qui ne retourne, there is no opportunity which comes back again.
1567 G. FENTON Bandello 216 Fortune once in the course of our life, dothe put into
our handes the offer of a good torne. 1809 Port Folio (Philadelphia) Nov. 431 Fortune
knocks once, at least, at every man’s door. 1889 W. F. BUTLER C. G. Gordon iii. Fate, it
is said, knocks once at every man’s door... Gordon had just passed his thirtieth year
when Fortune.. knocked at.. the door which was to lead him to fame. 1891 J. J. INGALLS
Opportunity in Truth (NY) 19 Feb. 171 [Opportunity] knock unbidden once at every gate!
If sleeping, wake: if feasting rise before I turn away.. [for] I return no more! 1941 ‘P.
WENTWORTH’ Unlawful Occasions xxiv. It was an opportunity with a capital O, and if
she threw it away it would never come back again. Opportunity never knocks twice at any
man’s door. 2001 Washington Post 18 Nov. F2 Experts are uniquely vulnerable to one
weakness: Opportunity may knock only once, but the temptation to try to make a contract