A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

teacher see EXPERIENCE is the best teacher.

teeth see the GODS send nuts to those who have no teeth.

TELL the truth and shame the Devil

1548 W. PATTEN Expedition into Scotland A5 An Epigram.. the whiche I had, or

rather (to saie truth and shame the deuel, for out it wool) I stale.. from a frende of myne.

1576 G. GASCOIGNE Grief of Joy II. 555 I will tell trewth, the devyll hymselfe to

shame. 1597–8 SHAKESPEARE Henry IV, Pt 1 III. i. 58 And I can teach thee, coz

[cousin], to shame the devil By telling truth: tell truth, and shame the devil. 1639 J.

CLARKE Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina 316 Tell the truth, and shame the Devill. 1738

SWIFT Polite Conversation i. 93 Well; but who was your Author? Come, tell Truth and

shame the Devil. 1945 F. THOMPSON Lark Rise xiv. A few homely precepts, such as..

‘Tell the truth and shame the devil.’ 2000 V. MCDERMID Place of Execution III. iii. 255

‘Questions are no trouble to me,’ she snapped. ‘Tell truth and shame the devil. I’ve

nothing to fear from your questions, so ask away.’ 2007 Times2 8 June 7 Tell the truth

and shame the devil, nanny used to say. But precepts such as that are perhaps too crude

for the subtle minds who lead the modern C of E. truth

tell see also BLOOD will tell; you can’t tell a BOOK by its cover; CHILDREN and fools
tell the truth; DEAD men tell no tales; every PICTURE tells a story; STRAWS tell which way
the wind blows; never tell TALES out of school; TIME will tell.

telling see a TALE never loses in the telling.

temper see GOD tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.

ten see one PICTURE is worth ten thousand words.

thaw see ROBIN Hood could brave all weathers but a thaw wind.

themselves see GOD helps them that help themselves; LISTENERS never hear any good
of themselves.