A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

wise in his own conceit.

c 1300 South-English Legendary (EETS) 494 Ffor-sothe thou axest as a fol, and

swich ansuere me schul the yive. 1484 CAXTON Aesop (1967) V. xiii. 158 And thus they

wente withoute ony sentence For to a folysshe demaunde behoueth a folysshe ansuere.

1551 R. ROBYNSON tr. T. More’s Utopia I E4 For Salomon the wise sayeth: Answer a

foole according to his folishnes, like as I do now. c 1600 Tarlton’s Jests (1638) E2V The

fellow seeing a foolish question had a foolish answere, laid his legges on his neck, and

got him gone. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 35 A thraward [perverse] Question

should a thraward Answer. 1934 C. RYLAND Murder on Cliff vi. If you ask me damned

silly questions, I’m going to give you damned silly answers. 1969 ‘A. GILBERT’ Missing

from her Home v. No, don’t bother to answer that. Ask a silly question and you get a silly

answer. 1985 M. WESLEY Harnessing Peacocks (1990) v. 46 ‘Are you happy at school?’

Ask a silly question. ‘It’s all right.’ ‘What sort of answer is that?’ she cried in distress.

action and consequence; stupidity

ASK no questions and hear no lies

1773 GOLDSMITH She stoops to Conquer III. 51 Ask me no questions and I’ll tell

you no fibs. 1818 SCOTT Heart of Midlothian I. ix. If ye’ll ask nae questions, I’ll tell ye

nae lees. 1900 H. LAWSON Over Sliprails 135 ‘Where did you buy the steer, father?’ she

asked. ‘Ask no questions and hear no lies.’ 1906 R. KIPLING Puck of Pook’s Hill 252

Them that asks no questions isn’t told a lie—Watch the wall, my darling, while the

Gentlemen go by! 1997 R. BOWEN Evans Above vi. 65 Charlie put his finger to his nose.

‘Them that asks no questions, don’t get told no lies, that’s what my old mother used to

say,’ he said. curiosity; lying

ask see also if you WANT something done, ask a busy person.

a-sorrowing see he that GOES a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing.

ATTACK is the best form of defence

The idea of the pre-emptive strike expressed in a form approaching this appears to be
American in origin; cf. 1775 W. H. DRAYTON in R. W. Gibbes Documentary Hist. American
Revolution (1855) I.174 It is a maxim, that it is better to attack than to receive one; 1799 G.
WASHINGTON Writings (1940) XXXVII. 250 Make them believe, that offensive operations,
often times, is the surest, if not the only..means of defence. Recent usage shows a clear
British-US divergence, however, with the best DEFENSE is a good offense as the US form.