(Superstitions) 61 It is reckoned a good omen, or a sign of future happiness, if the sun
shines on a couple coming out of the church after having been married. .. Happy is the
bride that the sun shines on. 1926 ‘P. WENTWORTH’ Black Cabinet xxxvi. ‘Happy’s the
bride that the sun shines on,’ is how the proverb goes. But where there’s real true
love..there’s always sunshine in a manner of speaking. 1984 C. A. O’MARIE Novena for
Murder 181 And the weather is cooperating! ‘Blessed the bride that the sun shines on!’
blessings; weddingsAlways a BRIDESMAID, never a bride1882 E. M. INGRAHAM Bond & Free i. Always a maiden [bridal attendant], never a
wife. 1903 V. S. LEAN Collectanea II. 81 Three times bridesmaid, never a bride. 1917
LEIGH, COLLINS, & MORRIS ‘Why am I always the Bridesmaid?’ (song) Why am I
always the bridesmaid, Never the blushing bride? 1951 WODEHOUSE Old Reliable xi.
Then they’d leave me.. and go off and buy candy and orchids for the other girls. .. Often a
bridesmaid but never a bride. weddingsIt is good to make a BRIDGE of gold to a flying enemyThe rationale is ‘an enemy closely pursued may become desperate. .. By all means, then,
let the vanquished have a free course’ (T. Fielding Proverbs of all Nations (1824) 14). The
idea is attributed to Aristides (480 BC), who warned Themistocles not to destroy the bridge of
boats which Xerxes had built across the Hellespont in order to invade Greece (PLUTARCH
Themistocles xvi); cf. also 2005. Cf. ERASMUS Apophthegms viii. Hostibus fugientibus
pontem argenteum exstruendum esse, for a fleeing enemy one should construct a bridge of
silver.
1576 W. LAMBARDE Perambulation of Kent 323 It was well sayde of one.. If thine
enemie will flye, make him a bridge of Golde. 1642 T. FULLER Holy State IV. xvii. He
[the good general] makes his flying enemy a bridge of gold, and disarms them of their
best weapon, which is necessity to fight whether they will or no. 1889 R. L. STEVENSON
Master of Ballantrae iv. You may have heard a military proverb: that it is a good thing to
make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy. I trust you will take my meaning. 2005 Mideast
Mirror 22 July (online) Bar-Lev, a former commander of the IDF’s elite Duvdevan unit
who lost a leg when he stepped on a mine.. , preferred to cite Mao Tse Tung, who spoke
about laying down a bridge of gold for the enemy’s retreat. enemies; warfarebridge see also don’t CROSS the bridge till you come to it; everyone SPEAKS well of the
bridge which carries him over.