A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day:
for the sky is red and louring. c 1395 WYCLIF Bible Matthew xvi. 2 The eeuenynge maad, ye
seien, It shal be cleer, for the heuene is lijk to reed; and the morwe, To day tempest, for heuen
shyneth heuy, or sorwful.

c 1454 R. PECOCK Follower to Donet (EETS) 54 We trowen [believe] that this day

schal be a reyny day for that his morownyng was reed, or that to morow schal be a fayre

day for that his euentide is reed. 1592–3 SHAKESPEARE Venus & Adonis 1. 453 Like a

red morn, that ever yet betoken’d Wreck to the seaman.. Sorrow to shepherds. 1893 R.

INWARDS Weather Lore 53 Sky red in the morning Is a sailor’s sure warning; Sky red at

night Is the sailor’s delight. 1920 Punch 14 July 36 Red sky at night shepherd’s delight. ..

Red sky in the morning shepherd’s warning. 1979 P. ALEXANDER Show me Hero xxv.

‘Going to be a fine day,’ he said at last. ‘Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning,’

Ashman said. 1995 R. ORMEROD And Hope to Die ii. 15 The next morning it was

raining steadily, this in spite of the flush of sunset the evening before. .. Red sky at night,

shepherds’ delight. Well all right, perhaps so, if they’d been praying for rain. 2002 M.

DAHL Coral Coffin ii. 16 Pink clouds sailed high over the island. What was that saying I

had heard from Uncle Stoppard? Red skies at night: a sailor’s delight Red skies at

morning: a sailor takes warning. weather lore

redressed see a FAULT confessed is half redressed.

A REED before the wind lives on, while mighty oaks do fall

c 1385 CHAUCER Troilus & Criseyde II. 1387 And reed that boweth down for every

blast, Ful lightly, cesse wynd, it wol aryse. 1621 BURTON Anatomy of Melancholy II. iii.

Though I liue obscure, yet I liue cleane and honest, and when as the lofty oake is blowne

downe, the silly [frail] reed may stand. 1732 T. FULLER Gnomologia no. 3692 Oaks may

fall, when Reeds stand the Storm. 1954 R. HAYDN Journal of Edwin Carp 20

Remembering that ‘a reed before the wind lives on—while mighty oaks do fall,’ I

attempted to remove the pencil marks with my pocket eraser. great and small; strength

and weakness

refuse see the SEA refuses no river.

regulated see ACCIDENTS will happen (in the best-regulated families).

rejoice see it is a POOR heart that never rejoices.