influence and not authority. 1957 V. BRITTAIN Testament of Experience II. ix. The
processes by which ‘power corrupts’ are perhaps inevitable. 1979 McCARRY Better
Angels IV. xii. He doesn’t know that power corrupts; there’s nothing dark in him. 2001
Washington Times 1 Sept. A10 To paraphrase Lord Acton: Power corrupts. Extended
service in Congress corrupts absolutely. powerpower see also KNOWLEDGE is power; MONEY is power.
PRACTICE makes perfect
1553 T. WILSON Art of Rhetoric 3 Eloquence was vsed, and through practise made
parfect. 1599 H. PORTER Two Angry Women of Abington 1. 913 Forsooth as vse makes
perfectnes, so seldome seene is soone forgotten. 1761 J. ADAMS Diary (1961) 1.192
Practice makes perfect. 1863 C. READE Hard Cash III. iv. He lighted seven fires,
skillfully on the whole, for practice makes perfect. 1979 D. LESSING Shikasta 185 It is
like playing the piano or riding a bicycle. Practice makes perfect. 2002 Country Life 14
Feb. 49 The quality of the [blackbird’s] song improves as the season progresses. ..This,
presumably, is a matter of practice makes perfect. diligencepractice see also an OUNCE of practice is worth a pound of precept.
PRACTISE what you preach
1377 LANGLAND Piers Plowman B. XIII. 79 This goddes gloton.. Hath no pyte on
vs pore. He perforneth yuel [does evil], That he precheth he preueth [demonstrates]
nought. 1639 T. FULLER Holy War I. xxiii. The Levites.. had 48 cities.. being better
provided for then many English ministers, who may preach of hospitalitie to their people,
but cannot go to the cost to practice their own doctrine. 1678 R. L’ES-TRANGE Seneca’s
Morals II. ii. We must practise what we preach. 1725 E. YOUNG Universal Passion III.
48 Ye doctors sage, who thro’ Parnassus teach, Or quit the tub, or practise what you
preach. 1854 THACKERAY Newcomes I. xiv. Take counsel by an old soldier, who fully
practises what he preaches, and beseeches you to beware of the bottle. 1945 F.
THOMPSON Lark Rise iv. Songs of a high moral tone, such as:.. practise what you
preach. 1970 D. CLARK Deadly Pattern iv. He was more than scornful of drink know-alls
who practised what they preached even against their own palates. words and deedsPRAISE the child, and you make love to the mother