A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Loft. 1906 E. HOLDEN Country Diary of Edwardian Lady (1977) 121 September blow

soft,—Till the fruit’s in the loft. 1928 Daily Mail 3 Sept. 10 ‘September blow soft till the

apple’s in the loft’ is what we desire of this traditionally beautiful month. weather lore

servant see ENGLAND is the paradise of women; FIRE is a good servant but a bad master.

serve see you cannot serve GOD and Mammon; NO man can serve two masters.

If you would be well SERVED, serve yourself

Very similar to if you WANT a thing done well, do it yourself.

1659 G. TORRIANO English & Italian Dict. 39 Who hath a mind to any thing let

him go himself. 1706 J. STEVENS Spanish & English Dict. s.v. Querer, If you would be

well serv’d, serve your self. 1871 J. E. AUSTEN-LEIGH Memoir of Jane Austen (ed. 2) ii.

‘If you would be well served, serve yourself.’ Some gentlemen took pleasure in being

their own gardeners. 1981 Times 28 Apr. 15 Absurd that the important things in one’s life

should be made by another person—’One is never so well served as by oneself.’

efficiency and inefficiency; self-help

served see also FIRST come, first served; PAY beforehand was never well served;
YOUTH must be served.

session see HOME is home, as the Devil said when he found himself in the Court of
Session.

set see set a BEGGAR on horseback, and he’ll ride to the Devil; SOW dry and set wet; set
a THIEF to catch a thief.

seven see FALL down seven times, get up eight; KEEP a thing seven years and you’ll
always find a use for it; you should KNOW a man seven years before you stir his fire;
MEASURE seven times, cut once; ONE year’s seeding makes seven years’ weeding;
PARSLEY seed goes nine times to the Devil; RAIN before seven, fine before eleven; SIX
hours’ sleep for a man, seven for a woman, and eight for a fool.

shadow see COMING events cast their shadows before; OLD sins cast long shadows.