A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

CIVILITY costs nothing

Politeness now often replaces civility. Cf. late 15th-cent. Fr. de bouche honnesteté.. petit
couste et vault plenté, courteous words.. cost little and are worth much.

1706 J. STEVENS Spanish & English Dict. S.V. Cortesía, Mouth civility is worth

much and costs little. 1765 LADY M. W. MONTAGU Letter 30 May (1967) III. 107

Remember Civility costs nothing, and buys every thing. 1765 H. TIMBERLAKE Memoirs

73 Politeness .. costs but little. 1873 W. ALLINGHAM Rambles xiv. Civility costs

nothing, it is said—Nothing, that is, to him that shows it; but it often costs the world very

dear. 1980 E. HARRIS Medium for Murder x. ‘It made me hopping mad to hear you kow-

towing to him.’.. ‘Politeness costs nothing,’ said Brooker. 1992 C. GRAHAM Death in

Disguise v. 95 There was no call, Jill’s boss had agreed whilst comforting his employee

with an iced Malibu, to take that tone. Politeness cost nothing. manners; politeness

claws see a CLEVER hawk hides its claws.

clay see CANDLEMAS day, put beans in the clay, put candles and candle-sticks away.

clean see a clean CONSCIENCE is a good pillow; NEW brooms sweep clean; if every man
would SWEEP his own doorstep the city would soon be clean.

CLEANLINESS is next to godliness

Next in this proverb means ‘immediately following’, as in serial order. Cf. 1605 BACON
Advancement of Learning II. 44 Cleannesse of bodie was euer esteemed to proceed from a due
reuerence to God.

a 1791 WESLEY Works (1872) VII. 16 Slovenliness is no part of religion. ..

‘Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness.’ 1876 F. G. BURNABY Ride to Khiva x.

‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness.’ The latter quality, as displayed in a Russian devotee, is

more allied with dirt than anything else. 1979 C. EGLETON Backfire i. The hospital staff

had a thing about personal cleanliness, next to godliness, you might say. 2002

Washington Post 14 Aug. C2 But a $6,000 shower curtain? Even if cleanliness is next to

godliness, isn’t that kinda steep? cleanliness

CLERGYMEN’S sons always turn out badly