A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

that may nat be eschiwed But of force mot be sywed [followed].

1579 SPENSER Shepherd’s Calendar (Sept.) 88 And cleanly couer, that cannot be

cured. Such il, as is forced, mought nedes be endured. 1763 C. CHURCHILL Prophecy of

Famine 18 Patience is sorrow’s salve; what can’t be cur’d, so Donald right areeds

[counsels], must be endur’d. 1870 C. KINGSLEY Madam How i. That stupid resignation

which some folks preach.. is merely saying—what can’t be cured, must be endured. 1936

W. HOLTBY South Riding VI. i. We all have our bad turns. What can’t be cured must be

endured, you know. 1997 Washington Post 18 Dec. C1 ‘What cannot be cured must be

endured,’ the chained man says, trying to smile. But it comes out as a grimace. patience

and impatience

CURIOSITY killed the cat

1921 E. O’ NEILL Diff’rent II. 252 ‘What’d you ask ’em, for instance?’.. ‘Curiosity

killed a cat! Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.’ 1973 A. CHRISTIE Postern of

Fate I. iv. ‘A curiosity death,’ said Tommy. ‘Curiosity killed the cat.’ 1984 J. R. RIGGS

Last Laugh iii. ‘I’m curious, that’s all.’ ‘Curiosity killed old tom.’ 2002 Times 2 17 May

9 ‘Well, you’ve probably heard the saying, “curiosity killed the cat”. Well that’s what

I’m doing here.’ For one horrible minute, I thought that he was about to.. reveal that he

was Ben Vol-au-Vent from Curiosity Killed the Cat, killing a cat. curiosity

curried (combed): see a SHORT horse is soon curried.

curse (verb) see BETTER to light one candle than to curse the darkness.

CURSES, like chickens, come home to roost

Also without specific reference to curses, as in quot. 2001.

c 1390 CHAUCER Parson’s Tale 1. 620 And ofte tyme swich cursynge wrongfully

retorneth agayn to hym that curseth, as a bryd that retorneth agayn to his owene nest.

1592 Arden of Feversham G4 For curses are like arrowes shot upright, Which falling

down light on the suters [shooter’s] head. 1810 SOUTHEY Kehama (title-page) Curses

are like young chicken; they always come home to roost. 1880 S. SMILES Duty iv. Their

injustice will return upon them. Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. 1932 S.

GIBBONS Cold Comfort Farm vii. Curses, like rookses, flies home to nest in bosomses

and barnses. 1986 Washington Post 10 July A23 The proverb teaches us that ‘curses, like