A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Lord Justice Clerk Braxfield [Robert MacQueen, Lord Braxfield (1722–99), Scottish

judge], who invariably acted upon its teaching. 1979 J. LEASOR Love & Land Beyond x.

So much killing. .. It reminds me of the Scots proverb, ‘Hang a thief when he’s young,

and he’ll no’ steal when he’s old.’ wrong-doers

hang see also a CREAKING door hangs longest; give a DOG a bad name and hang him;
every HERRING must hang by its own gill; give a man ROPE enough and he will hang
himself.

One might as well be HANGED for a sheep as a lamb

The proverb alludes to the former penalty for sheep-stealing. The idea is present in: 1662
N. ROGERS Rich Fool 253 As some desperate Wretches, Who dispairing of life still act the
more villainy, giving this desperate Reason of it, As good be hanged for a great deal, as for a
little.

1678 J. RAY English Proverbs (ed. 2) 350 As good be hang’d for an old sheep as a

young lamb. Somerset. 1732 T. FULLER Gnomologia no. 683 As good be hang’d for a

Sheep as a Lamb. 1836 MARRYAT Midshipman Easy II. ii. We may as well be hanged

for a sheep as a lamb. .. I vote that we do not go on board. 1841 DICKENS Barnaby

Rudge liii. Others.. comforted themselves with the homely proverb, that, being hung at

all, they might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. 1915 D. H. LAWRENCE Rainbow

vi. One might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb. If he had lost this day of his life,

he had lost it. 1977 B. PYM Quartet in Autumn xv. Letty .. decided that she might as well

be hung for a sheep as a lamb and make the most of her meal. conduct; risk

hanged see also if you’re BORN to be hanged then you’ll never be drowned; CONFESS
and be hanged; he that has an ILL name is half hanged; LITTLE thieves are hanged, but great
ones escape; never mention ROPE in the house of a man who has been hanged.

HANGING and wiving go by destiny

1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs I. iii. Weddyng is desteny, And hangyng

lykewise. 1596 SHAKESPEARE Merchant of Venice II. ix. 82 The ancient saying is no

heresy: Hanging and wiving goes by destiny. 1678 S. BUTLER Hudibras II. i. 270 If

Matrimony and Hanging go By Dest’ny, why not Whipping too? 1738 SWIFT Polite

Conversation i. 78 ‘Twas her Fate; they say, Marriage and Hanging go by destiny. 1951

E. MARSHALL Viking iii. King Alfred said that wiving and hanging go by destiny. fate

and fatalism; marriage