A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

and ruled

draws see also BEAUTY draws with a single hair.

dread see a BURNT child dreads the fire.

dreader see EVIL doers are evil dreaders.

DREAM of a funeral and you hear of a marriage

An illustration of the principle of DREAMS go by contraries, the proverb is also found in
the reverse form.

1639 J. CLARKE Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina 236 After a dreame of weddings

comes a corse [corpse]. 1766 GOLDSMITH Vicar of Wakefield x. My wife had the most

lucky dreams in the world. .. It was one night a coffin and cross-bones, the signs of an

approaching wedding. 1883 C. S. BURNE Shropshire Folklore xx. We have the sayings..

‘Dream of a funeral, hear of a wedding’.. and vice versa. 1909 British Weekly 8 July 331

‘Dream of a funeral and you hear of a marriage’.. has probably been verified many times

in the experience of ordinary people. dreams

dream see also MORNING dreams come true.

DREAMS go by contraries

c 1400 Beryn (EETS) 1.108 Comynly of these swevenys [dreams] the contrary man

shul fynde. 1584 LYLY Sappho & Phao IV. iii. I dreamed last night, but I hope dreams

are contrary, that..all my hair blazed on a bright flame. 1673 W. WYCHERLEY

Gentleman Dancing-Master IV. 64 Ne’re fear it, dreams go by the contraries. 1731

FIELDING Grub-Street Opera I. xi. Oh! the perjury of men! I find dreams do not always

go by contraries. 1860 T. C. HALIBURTON Season-Ticket 30 The events of life, like

dreams, appear in the words of the old proverb, ‘to go by contraries’. 1932 J. H. WALLIS

Capital City Murder iv. There was no sign.. of Lester Armande. ‘Dreams go by

contraries,’ said Lily. 1973 ‘P. SIMPLE’ Stretchford Chronicles (1980) 198 They say

dreams go by opposites. ..Perhaps you’ll dream about that AA man again. dreams

dressed see FIRST up, best dressed.