A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

nothing is inevitable. 1971 ‘S. CHANCE’ Septimus and Danedyke Mystery (1973) iii. 31

‘All things are possible—but some are not very likely. As the Apostle should have said,

but didn’t.’ possibility and impossibility

ALL things come to those who wait
Cf. Fr. tout vient à celui qui sait attendre, all comes to him who knows how to wait.

1530 A. BARCLAY Eclogues (EETS) II. 843 Somewhat shall come who can his time

abide. 1642 G. TORRIANO Select Italian Proverbs 26 He who can wait, hath what he

desireth. 1847 DISRAELI Tancred II. IV. viii. I have got it at last, everything comes if a

man will only wait. 1872 V. FANE Tout vient à qui sait Attendre in From Dawn to Noon

II. 85 Ah! ‘All things come to those who wait.’.. They come, but often come too late.

1980 M. SELLERS Leonardo & Others viii. Everything comes to those who wait. The

theory fitted well into my lazy way of thinking. 2002 Times 2 14 Feb. 7 Until last week I

considered the proverb ‘All things come to those who wait’ to be up there with ‘Every

cloud has a silver lining’ on the list of fatuous remarks to make when your best friend has

failed a vital job interview, been dumped by the love of his life, dropped his dentures

down a drain or been trapped for hours on the Tube. patience and impatience

all see also all’s for the BEST in the best of all possible worlds; all CATS are grey in the
dark; DEATH pays all debts; why should the DEVIL have all the best tunes?; don’t put all
your EGGS in one basket; all’s FAIR in love and war; all is FISH that comes to the net; all
that GLITTERS is not gold; all is GRIST that comes to the mill; when all you have is a
HAMMER, everything looks like a nail; HEAR all, see all, say nowt; to KNOW all is to
forgive all; there is MEASURE in all things; MODERATION in all things; ONE size does not
fit all; to the PURE all things are pure; a RISING tide lifts all boats; all ROADS lead to Rome;
the THIRD time pays for all; all’s WELL that ends well; you can’t WIN them all; all WORK
and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

alone see he TRAVELS fastest who travels alone.

alter see CIRCUMSTANCES alter cases.

always see he who is ABSENT is always in the wrong; there is always a FIRST time;
ONCE a—, always a —; there is always ROOM at the top; the UNEXPECTED always
happens.

Good AMERICANS when they die go to Paris
The person alluded to in quot. 1858 was Thomas Gold Appleton (1812–84). Quot. 2002 alters