A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

The EARLY man never borrows from the late man

1659 J. HOWELL Proverbs (English) 17 The rath [early] sower never borroweth of

the late. 1732 T. FULLER Gnomologia no. 4492 The early Sower never borrows of the

Late. 1978 R. WHITLOCK Calendar of Country Customs iii. Oats, too, benefit from early

sowing. .. Another agricultural proverb.. declares that, ‘the early man never borrows from

the late man’. borrowing and lending

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

1496 Treatise of Fishing with Angle H1 As the olde englysshe prouerbe sayth in this

wyse. Who soo woll ryse erly shall be holy helthy and zely [fortunate]. 1523 J.

FITZHERBERT Husbandry (1530) 52V At gramer scole I lerned a verse,..erly rysynge

maketh a man hole in body, holer in soule, and rycher in goodes. 1639 J. CLARKE

Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina 91 Earley to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy,

wealthy, and wise. 1853 SURTEES Sponge’s Sporting Tour ix. Early to bed and early to

rise being among Mr. Sponge’s maxims, he was enjoying the view.. shortly after daylight.

2002 New Scientist 29 June 57 A lot of sleep doesn’t make us happier. .. It’s going to bed

earlier that counts. There really is much to be said for ‘early to bed early to rise, makes

one healthy, wealthy and wise.’ diligence; health; riches

earned see a PENNY saved is a penny earned.

easier see it is easier to PULL down than to build up; it is easier to RAISE the Devil than
to lay him; also EASY.

EAST is east, and west is west

1892 R. KIPLING Barrack-room Ballads 75 Oh, East is East, and West is West, and

never the twain shall meet. 1909 M. BARING Orpheus in Mayfair 271 Sledge said

‘Goodnight’ again, but when he was on the stairs he called back: ‘In any case remember

one thing, that East is East and West is West. Don’t mix your deities.’ 1994 English

Today Oct. 19/2 East is east and west is west, and it will be a long time before fishermen

from the bookends of Canada agree on delicate matters of taste over a plate of oysters.

familiarity; harmony and disharmony; opposites