A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

sleep see one HOUR’S sleep before midnight is worth two after; SIX hours’ sleep for a
man, seven for a woman, and eight for a fool.

Let SLEEPING dogs lie

Cf. early 14th-cent. Fr. n’esveillez pas lou chien qui dort, wake not the sleeping dog.

c 1385 CHAUCER Troilus & Criseyde III. 764 It is nought good a slepyng hound to

wake. 1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs I. x. D1V It is euill wakyng of a slepyng

dog. 1681 S. COLVIL Whigs’ Supplication II. 27 It’s best To let a sleeping mastiff rest.

1824 SCOTT Redgauntlet I. xi. Take my advice, and speer [ask] as little about him as he

does about you. Best to let sleeping dogs lie. 1976 T. SHARPE Wilt xx. He would be

better off sticking to indifference and undisclosed affection. ‘Let sleeping dogs lie,’ he

muttered. 1996 M. MACDONALD Death’s Autograph ix. 98 ‘They don’t have to prove

it! He’s dead. It can’t do him any harm now.’ She said distinctly, ‘Let sleeping dogs lie,

then.’ action and inaction; busybodies

sleeve see STRETCH your arm no further than your sleeve will reach.

A SLICE off a cut loaf isn’t missed

1592 SHAKESPEARE Titus Andronicus II. i. 87 More water glideth by the mill

Than wots [knows] the miller of; and easy it is Of a cut loaf to steal a shive [slice]. 1639

J. CLARKE Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina 118 ‘Tis safe taking a shive of a cut loafe. 1732

T. FULLER Gnomologia no. 3012 It is safe taking a slice off a Cut Loaf. 1901 F. E.

TAYLOR Wit & Wisdom of South Lancashire Dialect 11 A shoive off a cut loaf’s never

miss’t. (A satirical remark.) 1981 N. LOFTS Old Priory v. iii. I went into this with my

eyes open and a slice off a cut loaf ain’t missed. gains and losses

slip see there’s MANY a slip between cup and lip.

SLOW and steady wins the race

Sometimes merged with SLOW but sure.