A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

brighten see BLESSINGS brighten as they take their flight.

bring see NIGHT brings counsel; the WORTH of a thing is what it will bring.

If it ain’t BROKE, don’t fix it

Principally known in North America; the British equivalent is LET well alone.

1977 Nation’s Business May 27 Bert Lance [President Carter’s Director of the

Office of Management and Budget] believes he can save Uncle Sam billions if he can get

the government to adopt a single motto: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ 1984 R. WILDER

You All Spoken Here 25 If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: Don’t mess with a clock that runs on

time. 1988 Washington Post 5 Dec. C11 The sleep pattern you have worked out is normal

for you, and since you have been fairly successful in planning your life around it, why

change? ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ 2001 Times Literary Supplement 30 Nov. 14 A

healthy libertarianism rubs shoulders with the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ style of

conservatism. busybodies; content and discontent

broken see PROMISES, like pie-crust, are made to be broken; RULES are made to be
broken.

broom see NEW brooms sweep clean; SWEEP the house with broom in May, you sweep
the head of the house away.

broth see TOO many cooks spoil the broth.

build see FOOLS build houses and wise men live in them; where GOD builds a church, the
Devil will build a chapel; it is easier to PULL down than to build up.

built see ROME was not built in a day.

Every BULLET has its billet

Fate determines who shall be killed; quot. 1922 implies more generally that fate plays a
part in all human affairs.