A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

1834 MARRYAT Peter Simple I. v. ‘Well,’ continued he, ‘it’s a poor heart that

never rejoiceth.’ He then poured out half a tumbler of rum. 1841 DICKENS Barnaby

Rudge iv. What happened when I reached home you may guess. .. Ah! Well, it’s a poor

heart that never rejoices. 1935 E. F. BENSON Lucia’s Progress viii. They were all men

together, he said, and it was a sad heart that never rejoiced. 1979 J. SCOTT Clutch of

Vipers iv. ‘It’s a poor heart’, Frankie told him, ‘that never rejoices.’ happiness

poor see also one LAW for the rich and another for the poor; the RICH man has his ice in
the summer and the poor man gets his in the winter.

Pope see it is ill SITTING at Rome and striving with the Pope.

port see ANY port in a storm.

POSSESSION is nine points of the law

There is no specific legal ruling which supports this proverb—though the concept is
widely acknowledged—but in early use the satisfaction often (sometimes twelve) points was
commonly asserted to attest full entitlement or ownership. Possession, represented by nine (or
eleven) points, is therefore the closest substitute for this. Cf. 1595 Edward III E3 Tis you are
in possession of the Crowne, And thats the surest poynt of all the Law.

1616 T. DRAXE Adages 163 Possession is nine points in the Law. 1659 J. IRETON

Oration 5 This Rascally-devill.. denys to pay a farthing of rent. Tis true, possession is

nine points of the Law, Yet give Gentlemen, right’s right. 1709 O. DYKES English

Proverbs 213 Possession is a mighty Matter indeed; and we commonly say, ‘tis eleven

Points of the Law. It goes a great Way to the giving of Security, but not any Right. 1822

T. L. PEACOCK Maid Marian v. In those days possession was considerably more than

eleven points of the Law. The baron was therefore convinced that the earl’s outlawry was

infallible. 1920 J. GALSWORTHY In Chancery II. xiv. We’re the backbone of the

country. They [Leftists] won’t upset us easily. Possession’s nine points of the Law. 2002

Washington Times 17 Feb. B2 Mrs. Clinton told the New York Post, ‘You know, we

followed every single law.’ And they did. So what if it was the law of the jungle

(possession is nine-tenths of the law)..? property

possible see ALL things are possible with God; all’s for the BEST in the best of all
possible worlds.