A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

cheek see there is always one who KISSES, and one who turns the cheek.

cheeping see MAY chickens come cheeping.

cheese see an APPLE-PIE without some cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze.

A CHERRY year, a merry year; a plum year, a dumb year

1678 J. RAY English Proverbs (ed. 2) 52 A cherry year a merry year: A plum year a

dumb year. This is a puerile and senceless rythme.. as far as I can see. 1869 R.

INWARDS Weather Lore 14 The progress of the seasons may be watched by observing

the punctuality of the vegetable world. .. A cherry year, a merry year. A plum year, a

dumb year. 1979 V. CANNING Satan Sampler ix. Warboys was studying an arrangement

of cherry blossom. .. The blossom was good this year. A cherry year, a merry year.

garden lore

chicken see don’t COUNT your chickens before they are hatched; CURSES, like chickens,
come home to roost; MAY chickens come cheeping.

Monday’s CHILD is fair of face

Each line of the verse (quot. 1838) may be used separately. Examples relating to different
days of the week are illustrated here for convenience. In quot. 1838 ‘Christmas’ is an unusual
variant, ‘Sabbath’ being far more common.

1838 A. E. BRAY Traditions of Devon II. 287 Monday’s child is fair of face,

Tuesday’s child is full of grace, Wednesday’s child is full of woe, Thursday’s child has

far to go, Friday’s child is loving and giving, Saturday’s child works hard for its living,

And a child that’s born on the Christmas day Is fair and wise and good and gay. 1915 J.

BUCHAN Salute to Adventurers i. I was a Thursday’s bairn, and so, according to the old

rhyme, ‘had far to go’. 1935 D. JONES Journal 12 Nov. in R. Hague Dai Greatcoat

(1980) II. 81 Which day’s child is ‘loving and giving’ in the rhyme?.. Is it Wednesday’s?

1957 V. BRITTAIN Testament of Experience I. ii. From the outset Shirley sustained the

nursery adage which commends ‘Sunday’s child’, for she put on weight steadily and was

the easiest of infants to rear. 1980 A. WILSON Setting World on Fire II. iii. She showed

her contrition by stroking his hair. ‘Saturday’s child works hard for his living,’ she

murmured. 1997 Washington Post 18 Dec. C27 Monday’s child is fair of face. | Tuesday’s

child is full of grace. | Wednesday’s child is full of woe. | Thursday’s child has far to go. |