remember your promise to confess; and indeed, to confess is, in this case, in some slight
sort to redress. 1855 H. G. BOHN Handbook of Proverbs 285 A fault confessed is half
redressed. 1981 P. O’DONNELL Xanadu Talisman X. A fault confessed is half redressed,
so I hope he will forgive us. confession; errorfavour see (noun) KISSING goes by favour; (verb) FORTUNE favours fools; FORTUNE
favours the brave.
FEAR the Greeks bearing giftsThe saying is often used allusively. The original Latin version is also quoted: VIRGIL
Aeneid II. 49 timeo Danaos, et dona ferentes, I fear the Greeks, even when bringing gifts (said
by Laocoön as a warning to the Trojans not to admit the wooden horse); thus 1777 S.
JOHNSON Letter 3 May (1952) II. 515 Tell Mrs. Boswell that I shall taste her marmalade
cautiously at first. Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. Beware, says the Italian proverb, of a
reconciled enemy.
1873 TROLLOPE Phineas Redux I. xxxiii. The right honourable gentleman had
prided himself on his generosity as a Greek. He would remind the right honourable
gentleman that presents from Greeks had ever been considered dangerous. 1929 Times 26
Oct. 13 Mr. Moses.. must now be reflecting on the wisdom of the advice to ‘fear the
Greeks even when they bring gifts’. 1943 E. S. GARDNER Case of Drowsy Mosquito vi.
‘It wasn’t a trap, I tell you.’ Nell Sims said.. ‘Fear the Greeks when they bear olive
branches.’ 1980 J. GERSON Assassination Run iv. Fear the Greeks bearing gifts was the
maxim to be drummed into every novice in the department. deception; giving and
receivingfear see also the man who has once been BITTEN by the snake fears every piece of rope;
DO right and fear no man; FOOLS rush in where angels fear to tread; man fears TIME, but
time fears the pyramids.
feast see AFTER the feast comes the reckoning; the COMPANY makes the feast;
ENOUGH is as good as a feast.
feather see BIRDS of a feather flock together; FINE feathers make fine birds.FEBRUARY fill dyke, be it black or be it white