A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

1848 GASKELL Mary Barton II. xiv. What’s the use of watching? A watched pot

never boils. 1880 M. E. BRADDON Cloven Foot III. viii. Don’t you know that vulgar old

proverb that says that ‘a watched pot never boils’? 1940 C. BOOTHE Europe in Spring X.

‘He [Mussolini] is waiting to see how the next battle turns out,’ they said. .. ‘A watched

pot never boils,’ they said—only this one finally did. 2002 Washington Post 26 Apr. C10

(Born Loser comic strip)’Whoever said, “A watched pot never boils” obviously didn’t

own a microwave.’ patience and impatience

Don’t go near the WATER until you learn how to swim

1855 H. G. BOHN Hand-Book of Proverbs 459 Never venture out of your depth till

you can swim. 1975 D. BAGLEY Snow Tiger xv. ‘There I was. .. Over-protected and

regarded as a teacher’s pet into the bargain.’ ‘“Don’t go near the water until you learn

how to swim,” ‘ quoted McGill. prudence

water see also BLOOD is thicker than water; DIRTY water will quench fire; you can take
a HORSE to the water, but you can’t make him drink; no matter how long a LOG stays in the
water.. ; the MILL cannot grind with the water that is past; you never MISS the water till the
well runs dry; STILL waters run deep; STOLEN waters are sweet; don’t THROW out your
dirty water until you get in fresh.

The WAY to a man’s heart is through his stomach

1814 J. ADAMS Letter 15 Apr. in Works (1851) VI. 505 The shortest road to men’s

hearts is down their throats. 1845 R. FORD Hand-Book for Travellers in Spain I. i. The

way to many an honest heart lies through the belly. 1857 D. M. MULOCK John Halifax,

Gentleman xxx. ‘Christmas dinners will be much in request.’ ‘There’s a saying that the

way to an Englishman’s heart is through his stomach.’ 1975 A. PRICE Our Man in

Camelot v. The way to a man’s heart wasn’t through his stomach, it was through an

appreciation of what interested him. 1986 J. W. RIDER Jersey Tomatoes xv. What she

meant was in a home she could bake things and make meals for him. .. The way to man’s

heart is through his stomach. 2001 Washington Post 6 Jan. C11 (Piranha Club comic

strip)’And remember ladies—the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’

‘Unfortunately, you have to get it past his gag reflex first.’ food and drink

There is more than one WAY to skin a cat

1854 S. SMITH ‘Way down East viii. 166 This is a money digging world of ours and,