A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

See also the two preceding entries.

1678 J. RAY English Proverbs (ed. 2) 127 There are more ways to kill a dog then

hanging. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 253 Many ways to kill a Dog, and not to hang

him. There be many ways to bring about one and the same Thing, or Business. 1725

SWIFT Drapier’s Letters X. 165 I know that very homely Proverb, more ways of killing a

Dog than hanging him. 1945 F. THOMPSON Lark Rise xvi. A proverb always had to be

capped. No one could say, ‘There’s more ways of killing a dog than hanging it’ without

being reminded, ‘nor of choking it with a pound of fresh butter.’ ways and means

weak see YORKSHIRE born and Yorkshire bred, strong in the arm and weak in the head.

The WEAKEST go to the wall

Usually said to derive from the installation of seating (around the walls) in the churches of
the late Middle Ages. To go to the wall means figuratively ‘to succumb in a conflict or
struggle’.

a 1500 Coventry Plays (EETS) 47 The weykist gothe eyuer to the walle. c 1595

SHAKESPEARE Romeo & Juliet I. i. 14 That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest

goes to the wall. 1714 DEFOE (title) The weakest go to the wall, or the Dissenters

sacrific’d by all parties. 1834 MARRYAT Peter Simple I. v. You will be thrashed all day

long. .. The weakest always goes to the wall there. 1888 C. M. DOUGHTY Travels in

Arabia Deserta I. x. There perished many among them;.. it is the weak which go to the

wall. 1916 ‘J. OXENHAM’ My Lady of Moor i. He saw to it that I had a good education,..

knowing the necessity and value of it in these strenuous days of the ‘weak to the wall’.

1955 T. WARRINER Doors of Sleep i. ‘As in the early church, the weakest go to the

wall,’ the Archdeacon said, seating himself on the low parapet. strength and weakness;

winners and losers

weakest see also a CHAIN is no stronger than its weakest link.

wealthy see EARLY to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

wear see BETTER to wear out than to rust out; if the CAP fits, wear it; CONSTANT
dropping wears away a stone; GIVE a thing, and take a thing, to wear the Devil’s gold ring; if
the SHOE fits, wear it.