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Ability can take you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Actions speak louder than words. All cats love fish but hate to get their paws wet.

Meaning: Everyone wants success but many lack the self-discipline to become successful

All for one and one for all. All good things must come to an end.. All's well that ends well. All that glisters is not gold.

Often corrupted to: All that glitters is not gold.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

"Eat an apple on going to bed, // And you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread." [2]

Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies.

"Ask me no questions, and Ill tell you no fibs"

A bad workman blames his tools.


Never hand an ill workman good tools. They blame their tools: why did the carpenter make the bed so badly, if he was any good? He will reply: "Because I used a poor axe and a thick gimlet, because I did not have a rule, I lost my hammer, and the hatchet was blunt", and other things of this kind. And the scribe, asked why he wrote so badly, will say that the paper was rough, the ink too fluid, the pen blunt, that he did not have a smoother, so that he could not write any better. Once again, this man holds his material responsible, and blames his tools as well, in mentioning the pen and smoother. And who does not know that artisans make themselves

responsible for the deficiencies in their work too, when they cannot pin the blame on material and tools?

Barking dogs seldom bite.

A person who often threatens rarely carries out his threats..

Before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes.. Beggars can't be choosers.

Meaning: If you are in a bad situation or do not have much to offer you must be content with whatever help you can get.

Better the devil you know (than the one you don't).. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

So are the men of this world: They must have all their good things now; they cannot stay till the next year, that is, until the next world, for their portion of good. That proverb, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," is of more authority with them than are all the divine testimonies of the good of the world to come.

A blow with a word strikes deeper than a blow with a sword.

Compare: "The pen is mightier than the sword."

Bloom where you are planted.

Meaning: Accept your lot in life, but make the best out of it.; Take advantage of whatever gifts you have..

Brag is a good Dog, but Holdfast is a better

Meaning: A variation of "Talk is cheap".

A broken watch is right two times a day.

Meaning: A person who is wrong will eventually be right about something.

A burnt child dreads the fire.

Meaning: You will avoid an activity which has given you a bad experience for the rest of your life.

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.

You don't lose anything by enlightening others.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link..

Meaning: The efficiency of an organization is determined by the most incompetent member within its hierarchy.

The child is father to the man. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

Meaning: Someone will come to help in a precarious situation.

Common sense is not so common A coward dies a thousand times before his death. The valiant never taste of death but once. Discretion is the better part of valor.

Meaning: It is better to avoid a dangerous situation than to confront it..

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Don't put the cart before the horse. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Meaning: Don't reject something entirely because parts of it are bad.

The door swings both ways.

Meaning: What you do to me, I can do to you.

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade Meaning: If you have had many bad experiences, make something good out of it.

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Meaning: An incompetent person will be right sometimes. Tassone, John J. (2002). Go For It!. Cypress House. p. 11. 187938485X.

Even a dog can distinguish between being stumbled over and being kicked.

Holmes, Oliver Wendell (1923). The Common Law 3.

Every dog has its day.


Meaning: Everyone gets their chance eventually. Variation on a quote from Hamlet: "...whatever Hercules says, the cat will mew and dog will have its day."

Everyone talks of changing the world, but no one talks of changing himself.[Leo Tolstoy]

Tome, Brian (2010). Free Book. Thomas Nelson Inc. p. 132. 084992006X.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

Justice, G. (2004). Jesus the Maverick King. AuthorHouse. p. 56. 1418486698. A response, often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, is "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind."

Bregman, Lucy (2009). Religion, Death, and Dying: Volume 3: Bereavement and Death Rituals. ABC-CLIO. p. 177. 0313351791.

[edit]F

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.


Alexander Pope, "An Essay on Criticism" Meaning: Fools are often reckless in dangerous situations.

For want of a nail the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost.

Meaning: A seemingly insignificant thing that goes wrong can result in problems of enormous proportions. Proverb reported by George Herbert, Jacula Prudentum (1651), #495

From those to whom much is given, much is expected.

Biblical quote Luke 12:48

Fortune favours the brave.

Meyer, Bruce (2004). Fortune Favors the Brave. St. Martin's Press. p. 8. ISBN 0312996802.

Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down.


Meaning: Idle people will quickly be forgotten by history. Manser, Martin H.; Fergusson, Rosalind; Pickering, David (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. pp. 499. 0816066736.

[edit]G

Garbage in, garbage out.


Meaning: Faulty instructions will only result in faulty results. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 98. 0816066736. Meaning: Once you have lost your reputation, it is very hard to regain it. Dickens, Charles (1999). Our Mutual Friend. ARcade Publishing. p. 373. 1559705485. Meaning: How well a dog behaves depends on how he has been treated. Clarke, Nick (1865). Alistair Cooke: a biography. Routledge. p. 174. 1420931989.

Give a dog a bad name and hang him.


Give a dog a bad name and he'll live up to it. (or repay you for it)

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Blue, Kevin (2006). Practical Justice: Living Off-Center in a Self-Centered World. InterVarsity Press. p. 51. 0830833684. Meaning: It is fair to treat someone equally bad as you have been treated yourself. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 133. 0816066736.

Give and take is fair play.

Give, and ye shall receive.

Luke 6:38 Derived from Romans 13:7 Variant: Give the Devil his due. Variant: Give the Camel an inch and it will take an ell. Variant: Give a nigger an inch and he'll take an ell. Twain, Mark (1885). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Charles L. Webster and Company. p. 222 (EBook). Variant: Give him an inch and he'll take a mile. Strauss, Emanuel (1998). Concise dictionary of European proverbs. Routledge. p. 240. 0415160502. Meaning: Accept your lot, but make the best out of it. Ellis, Rex (2009). Go with the Flow. Wakefield Press. pp. 208. ISBN 1862548536. Collier, Robert (2008). Secret of the Ages. Wilder Publications. p. 143. ISBN 1604590467. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 105. 0816066736. Chinese Version: A good beginning is half a succession Littell, Eliakim (1844). The living age, Volume 1. Littell, Son and Co.. p. 252. Robert Frost, "Mending Wall" Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 106. 0816066736. O'Connor, Flannery; Asals, Frederick (1844). A good man is hard to find. Littell, Son and Co.. p. 252.

Give credit where credit is due.


Give him an inch and he'll take a yard.


Go with the flow


God cures and the physician takes the fee.

A good beginning makes (for) a good ending.

Good eating deserves good drinking.

Good fences make good neighbors.


Good men are hard to find.

A good surgeon has an eagle's eye, a lion's heart, and a lady's hand.

Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 449. Note: It was customary since early times to hang a grapevine, ivy or other greenery over the door of a tavern or way stop to advertise the availability of drink within. Meaning: A good product does not need advertising: it will spread through word of mouth or by the sight of others using it. Martin (2010). Good Wine Needs No Bush. Arthur Bruce Martin. pp. 200. ISBN 0646539477. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 105. 0816066736. The Edinburgh review, Volym 132. A. and C. Black. 1870. p. 231.

Good wine needs no bush.

The grass is always greener on the other side...

Great events cast their shadows before them.

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.

Albert Einstein Buziak, Cari (2011). Calligraphy Magic: How to Create Lettering, Knotwork, Coloring and More. North Light Books. p. 79. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 112. 0816066736.

A guilty conscience needs no accuser.

[edit]H

A half truth is a whole lie.

Tal (2005). Double Crossing. Cinco Puntos Press. p. 78. ISBN 0938317946. Cf. George Herbert The Sizz "Wouldst thou both eat thy cake and have it" Have Your Cake and Eat It Too. Brandy House. 2005. ISBN 1440466823.

(You can't) Have your cake and eat it too


Haste makes waste.

Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 115. 0816066736. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs. Wordsworth Editions. p. 272. ISBN 1840223111. Ammer, Christine (1997). The American Heritage dictionary of idioms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 368. 039572774X. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 174. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs. Wordsworth Editions. p. 273. ISBN 1840223111. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 117. 0816066736. 20-20 refers to perfect vision. Brenner, Gail Abel (2003). Concise dictionary of European proverbs. Wiley. p. 284. 0764524771. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 492. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537.

The head and feet keep warm, the rest will take no harm.

He laughs best who laughs last

He who dares wins

Health is wealth

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

Hindsight is always twenty-twenty


Home is where the heart is

He who hesitates is lost.

Handsome is what handsome does.

[edit]I

I complained I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.

Letshabo, Ronnie (2010). No Limits. Quickfox Publishing. p. 68. ISBN 0620459018. Lowry, Lois (1980). Autumn street. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 59. ISBN 0395278120. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 133. 0816066736. Cf. William Edward Hickson's Try and Try again "Tis a lesson you should heed: Try, try, try again. If at first you don't succeed, Try, try, try again"

Idle hands are the devil's playthings.

If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Butts, Darlene Gudrie (2009). Lessons from the Depression. Lessons from the Depression. p. 102. ISBN 1440135800. Variation: If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Perkins, David N (2007). Outsmarting intelligence quotient. Simon and Schuster. p. 123. 0029252121. From Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.


If it can't be cured, it must be endured.

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

Meaning: If something seems to be in a certain way, that is probably the case. Cryer, Max (2011). Who Said That First?: The Curious Origins of Common Words and Phrases. ReadHowYouWant.com. p. 163. 1458785599.

If it's too good to be true, then it probably is.

Else, David (2005). England. Lonely Planet. p. 96. 1740599225. Bennett, W. J. (1993). The Book of Virtues, Simon & Schuster.

If God had wanted man to fly, he would have given him wings.

If something can go wrong, it will.

Murphy's Law Dowis, Richard (2000). Autumn street. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. p. 242. ISBN 0814470548. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. From the television show "The Killing". Marsden, John (2009). Circle of Flight. Scholastic Inc.. p. 114. ISBN 0439783216. Marsden, John (2009). Circle of Flight. Scholastic Inc.. p. 114. ISBN 0439783216. Alternatively: You get what you pay for Herrero Ruiz, Javier (2009). Understanding Tropes: At the Crossroads Between Pragmatics and Cognition. Peter Lang. p. 101. 3631592620. Burch, Geoff (2010). Irresistible Persuasion: The Secret Way to Get to Yes Every Time. John Wiley and Sons. p. 138. 190731248X. Sandburg, C. (2002). The Complete Poems of Carl Sandburg: Revised and Expanded Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Ammer, Christine (1997). The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 640. ISBN 039572774X. Morem, Susan (2005). One hundred one tips for graduates. Infobase Publishing. p. 69. 0816056765.

If the shoe fits, wear it.

If the truth hurts, you are not living right.

If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets.

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.


If you buy quality, you only cry once.

If you can't be good, be careful.

If you can't beat them, join them.

If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all

If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were.

Israel, Yahdon (2009). Show Me a Nigger and I'll Show You a Racist: The Mind of a Psychopathic Genius. AuthorHouse. p. 100. ISBN 1438976607. Lane, L. (2004). Confessions Of A Stripper: Tales From The Vip Room, Huntington Pr. Meaning: Someone who treats others badly will eventually turn on you. Coulter, Ann H (2005). How to talk to a liberal (if you must): the world according to Ann Coulter. Thorndike Press. p. 13. 0786275200. Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 [8] Kreuger (2008). The college grad job hunter: insider techniques and tactics for finding a top-paying job. Adams Media. p. 65. ISBN 1598695479. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 139. 0816066736. Meurer, D. (2004). If You Want Breakfast in Bed, Sleep in the Kitchen, David C. Cook. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Kahane, Adam (2010). Power and love: a theory and practice of social change. Tate Publishing. p. 125. ISBN 1605093041. Common mal-shortening of "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise. Thomas Gray, "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College" [[9]] Alternate version: In for a dime, in for a dollar.

If you snooze you lose

If you sup with the devil, use a long spoon.


If you trust before you try, you may repent before you die.

If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.

If you want a thing done right, do it yourself.

If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen.

If you're in a hole, stop digging.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

Ignorance is bliss.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Cf. Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales: "One eare it heard, at the other out it went" From Sandy Elsberg's Bread Winner, Bread Baker; Upline Press, Charlottesville, VA; 1977, p. 80 Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. O'Hara, K. (2011). Lost and Found in London: How the Railway Tracks Hotel Changed Me, Xlibris Corp. Alternatively "Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results" Smart, S. (2005). Flight Pattern, Lulu.com. Variation: Church ain't over until the fat lady sings. Attributed as an old Southern saying in Smith & Smith, Southern Words and Sayings (1976), according to Quinion, Michael (21 August 1999). "It Ain't Over Till the Fat Lady Sings". World Wide Words. Retrieved on 2007-01-23. Project, M. o. A. (1870). Harper's magazine, Harper's Magazine Co. Chambers, W. and R. Chambers (1858). Chamber's information for the people: A popular encyclopdia, J.L. Gihon. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537.

In one ear and out the other.

In order to get where you want to go, you first have to leave where you are.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.

It ain't over till the fat lady sings.


It's a cracked pitcher that goes longest to the well.

It's a good horse that never stumbles.

It's a long lane that has no turning.

It's always darkest before the dawn

Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 174. Ammer, Christine (1997). The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 316. ISBN 039572774X. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537.

It's an ill wind that blows no good.

It's better to be safe than sorry.

It's better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt.

Marques, J. F. (2004). Empower The Leader In You!: An Analysis Of The Most Important Factors That Distinguish A Great Leader From An Average One, Authorhouse.

It is better to die on one's feet than live on one's knees.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Spears, R. A. (2005). McGraw-Hill's dictionary of American idioms and phrasal verbs, McGraw-Hill. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Dattilio, F. M. (2001). Case Studies in Couple and Family Therapy: Systemic and Cognitive Perspectives, Guilford Press. Attributed to Grace Hopper Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 602.

It's better to give than to receive.

It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

It's cheaper to keep her.

It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.

It's easy to be wise after the event.

It's never too late to mend.

It's no use crying over spilt milk.

Ammer, Christine (1997). The American Heritage dictionary of idioms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 139. 039572774X. Yogi Berra Often attributed to sportscaster Dan Cook (1978) Meaning: No matter how the outlook is things can always turn back. In other words you should not celebrate until you are 100% sure there is a reason to do so. Goldman, Steven (2008). It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over: The Baseball Prospectus Pennant Race Book. pp. 480. Meaning: Those who are first or joins something at it's outlook gets much. Ayres, Gene (2010). Inside the New China: An Ethnographic Memoir. p. 36. ISBN 1412813506. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Alternatively: It takes all sorts to make the world go round. Alternatively: It takes all kinds to make the world go round. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Oshry, Barry (1996). Seeing systems: unlocking the mysteries of organizational life. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. p. 59. 1881052990.

It ain't over till it's over.


It's the early bird that gets the worm.


It's the empty can that makes the most noise.

It takes all sorts to make a world.


It takes two to make a quarrel.

It takes two to tango.

[edit]J

Jack of all trades and master of none. (18th Century)

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537.

Joan is as good as my lady in the dark. (17th Century)

Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited. Laozi, Tao Te Ching, Ch. 64, line 12. Sanda, Akin A (2001). Justice delayed is justice denied: problems and solutions. Spectrum Books. pp. 54. ISBN 9780292519. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

Justice delayed is justice denied.(Legal Proverb, India)

Justice pleaseth few in their own house.

[edit]K

Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open.

Titelman, G. (2000). Random House dictionary of America's popular proverbs and sayings, Random House. Meaning: It is best to gather as much information about your enemies as possible. This might give the false impression that your enemies are your friends. Williams, Spencer D (2011). The Man Book: The 100 Things Every Man Should Know, Or Live by. Xlibris Corporation. p. 195. 1456899333. Manser, M. H., R. Fergusson, et al. (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs, Facts On File. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 426. See: "For want of a nail the shoe is lost, ..." Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 213.

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Keep your mouth shut and your ears open.

Kindness, like grain, increase by sowing.

A kingdom is lost for want of a shoe.

Knaves and fools divide the world.

Knowledge is power. (17th Century)

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Cavitt, C. (2007). Customer Service Superstars, Lulu.

Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns

[edit]L

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone.

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and your mascara runs. variation by advice columnist Ann Landers. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 165. Richardson, B. (2001). Working with challenging youth: lessons learned along the way, Brunner-Routledge. - Professor Ferdinand Fairfax Stone, Tulane Law School, early and mid 1960s. Johnson, A. and P. H. Bergeron (1997). The papers of Andrew Johnson: September 1867-March 1868, University of Tennessee Press. Baldoni, John (2009). Lead by example: 50 ways great leaders inspire results. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. 0814412947. Meaning: Learn the basics of any subject first. Rich, David A (2006). 7 Biblical Truths You Won't Hear in Church: But Might Change Your Life. Harvest House Publishers. p. 145. 0736916075. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 699. Campbell, Cimberly Hill (2007). Less is more: teaching literature with short texts, grades 6-12. Stenhouse Publishers. 157110710X.

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

The law is a jealous mistress.

Law is the solemn expression of legislative will.

Lead by example

Learn to walk before you run.


Least said sooner mended.

Less is more.

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

Jesus Christ From Troilus and Criseyde (bk. III, 764) by Geoffrey Chaucer - Chaucer wrote this in just the reverse form -- 'It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake.' Meaning: Don't talk about things you don't know anything about. Whitling, Bartlett Jere (1977). Early American proverbs and proverbial phrases. Harvard University Press. p. 145. 0674219813. Charles Spurgeon. A great lie may be widely accepted before the truth comes to light. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 224. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 626. Bloom, H. (2007). Arthur Miller, Bloom's Literary Criticism. Kasparov, G. (2008). How Life Imitates Chess, Random House.

Let sleeping dogs lie.

Let the cobbler stick to his last.


A lie can be halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on.

Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.

Life begins at forty.

Life imitates art

Life imitates chess - Garry Kasparov

Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.

Unkown origin, though sometimes attributed to Lou Holtz or Chuck Swindoll - From the film, Forrest Gump Hoggart, S. (2009). Life's Too Short to Drink Bad Wine: 100 Wines for the Discerning Drinker, Quapuba. Attributed to John Lennon

Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

Life is too short to drink bad wine.

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

Life is what you do while you're waiting to die.

Quote from song sung by Zorba from the musical 'Zorba' by Kander and Ebb Unkown origin, though sometimes attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt or Grandma Moses

Life is what you make of it. Always has been, always will be.

Life's battle don't always go to the stronger or faster man, but sooner or later the man who wins is the one who thinks he can.

Lucier, T. J. (2005). How to make money with real estate options: low-cost, low-risk, high-profit strategies for controlling undervalued property-without the burdens of ownership!, Wiley. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 634. Mallandaine, C. E., C. Shepperson, et al. (1901). Like cures like, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited. Meaning: Many incremental changes will after some time transform what is pathetic into something grand. Dickens, Charles (1867). Nicholas Nickleby, Volumes 1-4. Hurd & Houghton. p. 145. 0814412947. A little Learning is a dangerous Thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring: There shallow Draughts intoxicate the Brain, And drinking largely sobers us again. ~ Alexander Pope Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537.

Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.

Like cures like.

Like father, like son.

Like water off a duck's back.

Little by little and bit by bit.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

A little pot is easily hot.

Live and let live.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Alternative: Live simply to let others simply live. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. XII. Meaning: It is always the end of something that feels the most difficult. Macfarlane, David (2001). The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Proverbs. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.. p. 296. ISBN 0806974893. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 788. Eugene, D. (2002). 20 Good Reasons to Stay Sober, Booksurge Llc. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 657. Kumar, E. S. The Unofficial Joke book of New SMS, Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.

Long absent, soon forgotten.

The longest mile is the last mile home.


Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.

Look before you leap.

Look on the sunny side of life.

Loose lips sink ships.

Love is blind.

Love is like war, Easy to start, Hard to end, Impossible to forget.

Love is not finding someone to live with; it's finding someone whom you can't live without.

Lipper, D. and E. Sagehorn (2008). The Everything Wedding Vows Book: How to Personalize the Most Important Promise You'll Ever Make, Adams Media.

Love is stronger than any addiction, baby. Hell, it is one. - Madea

Williams, T. M. (2008). Black pain: it just looks like we're not hurting : real talk for when there's nowhere to go but up, Scribner. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. BLANK. ISBN 0199539537.

Love laughs at locksmiths.

[edit]M

Make hay while the sun shines.

Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 467. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. lxxv. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 125. William Blackstone refers to this traditional proverb in Commentaries on the Laws of England (17651769), Book 4, Chapter 16:

Make the best of a bad bargain.

A man is known by the company he keeps.

A man's home is his castle.

And the law of England has so particular and tender a regard to the immunity of a man's house, that it stiles it his castle, and will never suffer it to be violated with immunity: agreeing herein with the sentiments of ancient Rome, as expressed in the works of Tully; quid enim sanctius, quid omni religione munitius, quam domus unusquisque civium?

Translation: What more sacred, what more strongly guarded by every holy feeling, than a man's own home?

Manners maketh the man.

From 'Manners makyth man' - the motto of William of Wykeham(1320 1404) ** Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537.

Many a true word is spoken in jest

Many hands make light work

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Canfield, J. and M. V. Hansen (2003). Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Your Dreams : Inspirational Stories, Powerful Principles, and Practical Techniques to Help You Make Your Dreams Come True, Health Communications. This Proverb is a severe Taunt upon much Talking. - Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 [10]

Many things are lost for want of asking.

Many words will not fill a bushel.

Marry in haste, and repent at leisure.

Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 463. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 171. British: Mind your manners (origin theories) Makhene, E. R. W. (2008). Mind Your Ps and Qs, Lulu.com. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 125. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 704. Meaning: A miss is a miss regardless the distance Cf. Scottish Proverbs Collected and Arranged by Andrew Henderson, 1832, p.103: "An inch o' a miss is as gude as a span." [11] Meaning: While tending to every detail you might miss out the big picture. Singh, Amita (2006). Administrative reforms: towards sustainable practices. Sage Publications. p. 169. 0761933921.

Measure twice, cut once.

Mind your P's and Q's.


Misery loves company.

Misfortunes never come singly.

A miss by an inch is a miss by a mile.


Missing the wood for the trees.


Money cannot buy happiness.

Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 457. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 276. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 407. Garson, B. (2002). Money makes the world go around, Penguin Books. Variant: Money talks, bullshit walks. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Related: Talk is cheap. Related: Actions speak louder than words. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 709. Meaning: Hurry, but work slowly to make sure what you attend to gets done properly. Sharma, B. D (2006). General English for Competitive Examinations. Lotus Press. p. 25. 8183820808. From the French: Plus a change, plus c'est pareil. Meaning: The only thing consistent is the absence of consistency. Washington, Ruth (2007). The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same: A Behind the Scenes Look at United Airlines Maintenance Base. Authorhouse. pp. 132.ISBN 1425985386.

(love of) Money is the root of all evil.

Money makes the mare go.

Money makes the world go around.

Money talks.

Monkey see, monkey do.

More haste, less speed.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The more you study, the more you know. The more you know, the more you forget. The more you forget, the less you know. The less you know the more you study.

Riggs, J. L. and L. L. Bethel (1979). Industrial organization and management, McGraw-Hill.

[edit]N

The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.

Whatling (2009). A Vigil for Joe Rose: Stories of Being Out in High School. iUniverse. p. 13. ISBN 1440178550. Robinson, J. F. and J. J. Marshall (1902). The flora of the East Riding of Yorkshire: including a physiographical sketch, A. Brown & Sons. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 32. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 447. Huler, Scott (1999). From Worst to First: Behind the Scenes of Continental's Remarkable Comeback. John Wiley & Sons. p. 200. 0471356522.

Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.

Nature, time, and patience are three great physicians.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Ne'er cast a clout till May be out.

Never judge a book by its cover.

Never let the right hand know what the left hand is doing.

Never lie to your doctor.

Never lie to your lawyer.

Huler, Scott (1999). From Worst to First: Behind the Scenes of Continental's Remarkable Comeback. John Wiley & Sons. p. 200. 0471356522.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Goudreau, Colleen Patric (2011). Vegan's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Inspiration for Cooking, Eating, and Living Compassionately. Quarry Books. p. 133. 1592536794. Templeton (2002). Wisdom from world religions: pathways toward heaven on earth. Templeton Foundation Press. p. 264. Jacoby, S. (2011). Never Say Die: The Myth and Marketing of the New Old Age, Pantheon Books. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 734. Meaning: Newcomers are the most ambitious. Oxnam, Robert B. (2005). A fractured mind: my life with multiple personality disorder. Hyperion. p. 159. 1401302270. Anti-promiscuity adage, alluding to a 18th-century mercury-based folk treatment for syphilis Cited in Bartz, Diane (30 October 2006). "Har, me hearties! Excavating Blackbeard's ship". Reuters (via Yahoo! News). Retrieved on 2006-11-01. Christian New Testament Meaning: We are all interdependent. Merton, Thomas (2005). No Man Is an Island. Shambhala Publications. pp. 272. ISBN 1590302532. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 734.

Never put off till (until) tomorrow what you can do today.

Never say die.

Never say never.

Never trouble trouble 'til trouble troubles you.

A new broom sweeps clean.


A night with Venus and a life with mercury.

No man can serve two masters.

No man is an island

No news is good news.

No pain, no gain.

Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. French expression: the nobility is obligated to care for the lower classes. Applegate, S. (2009). Noblesse Oblige: Spending Your Life on What Matters Most, Tate Pub & Enterprises Llc. John Dryden, Alexander's Feast Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited. Templeton, J. M. (1998). Worldwide Laws of Life: 200 Eternal Spiritual Principles, Templeton Foundation Press. Variant: Nothing ventured, nothing have. - Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 ..[12]

No time like the present.

Noblesse oblige.

None but the brave deserve the fair.

Nothing succeeds like success.

Nothing to be feared in life, but understood.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[edit]O

An old dog will learn no tricks.

Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721[13] Hunt, La Jill (2009). Old Habits Die Hard. Urban Books. pp. 280. ISBN 1601621949. Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721[14] Waldman, S. (2005). Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, Feldheim Publishers.

Old habits die hard.

One good turn deserves another.

One grain of sand can tip the scale.

One hand washes the other.

From the Latin MANUS MANAM LAVAT, meaning "Hand washes hand," or "One hand washes the other"; or impliedly, "You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours." Guyer, C. S. (2011). On the Money Journal, Atlasbooks Distribution. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Abdul-Nabi, R. (2002). "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter": the role of the media in constructing Palestinian identity. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Milton, J. (1996). Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin: The Life Of Charlie Chaplin, HarperCollins. Cf. Dan Michael of Northgate, Ayenbite of Inwyt (1340): "A rotten apple will spoil a great many sound ones." (Middle English: "A roted eppel amang e holen: make rotie e yzounde.") This Proverb is apply'd to such Persons who being vicious themselves, labour to debauch those with whom they converse. - Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 [15] Webb, P. and C. Bain (2010). Essential Epidemiology: An Introduction for Students and Health Professionals, Cambridge University Press. William Caxton, the first English printer, gave the earliest version of this saying in 'Aesope' (1484), his translation of Aesop's fables: 'He that hath ben ones begyled by somme other ought to kepe hym wel fro(m) the same.' Centuries later, the English novelist Robert Surtees referred to the saying in 'Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour' (1853) with '(He) had been bit once, and he was not going to give Mr. Sponge a second chance.' The exact

One man's junk is another man's treasure.

One man's meat is another man's poison.

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. - Ronald Reagan

One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb. - English, 17th century

One murder makes a villain, millions a hero.

One rotten apple will spoil the whole barrel.

One scabbed sheep mars the whole flock.

One swallow doesn't make a summer.

Once bitten, twice shy

wording of the saying was recorded later that century in 'Folk Phrases of Four Counties' (1894) by G.G. Northall and was repeated by, among others, the English novelist Joseph Conrad (1920, 'The Rescue'), the novelist Aldous Huxley (1928, 'Point Counter Point'), and the novelist Wyndham Lewis (1930, 'The Apes of God'). 'Once bitten, twice shy' has been a familiar saying in the twentieth century. From Wise Words and Wives' Tales by Stuart Flexner and Doris Flexner (Avon Books, New York, 1993).

A variation, once burned, twice shy, is also traced back to Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour. Once burned was First attested in the United States in 'Dead Sure' (1949) by S. Sterling. The meaning of the saying is One who had an unpleasant experience is especially cautious. From the Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).

The only free cheese is in the mouse trap.


Russian saying. Gage, R. (2010). Why You're Dumb, Sick & Broke...And How to Get Smart, Healthy & Rich!, John Wiley & Sons. Hull, E., K. Jackson, et al. (2005). Requirements engineering, Springer. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 752. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 906. Confucius Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 153. Cf. Fulke Greville's sonnet "And out of minds as soons as out of sight"

The only stupid question is the one that is not asked.

Only the good die young

Opportunity knocks only once.

An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of wit.

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.

Out of sight... Out of mind

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. A meager beginning can still result in something magnificent. Waters Yarsinke, Amy (2000). Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow: The History of Norfolk Collegiate School. Hallmark Pub Co Inc. pp. 144. 0965375994. Northern English, Anything for nothing... Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537.

Out of small acorns grow mighty oaks.


Owt for Nowt


[edit]P

Paddle your own canoe.


Meaning: Act independently. Lababidi, Lesley Kitchen (1997). Paddle your own canoe: an American woman's passage into Nigeria. Spectrum. pp. 168. ISBN 9782463132. Mazer, Anna (2009). The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword. Baker & Taylor. 1442012889. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited. Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac, but actually 17th c. English Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. BLANK. Variation: Whose house is of glasse, must not throw stones at another.

The pen is mightier than the sword.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Penny wise, pound foolish.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

George Herbert, Outlandish Proverbs, 1640; cited in "Proverbs 120". The Yale Book of Quotations. 2006. pp. p. 613. ISBN 0-30010798-6.*** George Herbert, Jacula Prudentum, 1651, number 196

Perfect Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. (a.k.a The six P's)

Mitchell, D. A. (2006). An Introduction to Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery, Oxford University Press. (Originally a marketing slogan, promoting magazine display ads.) Sexton, P. (2008). A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, F+W Media. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 131. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 143. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Attributed to Lord Acton Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Variation: Practice what you preach Maister, David H (2001). Practice What You Preach: What Managers Must Do To Create A High Achievement Culture. Simon and Schuster. pp. 272. 0815776314. James, Julie (2009). Practice Makes Perfect. Berkley Sensation. 0425226743. Variation: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Meaning: It is best to be proactive. Russell, Louise B (1986). Is prevention better than cure?. Brookings Institution Press. p. 159. 0815776314. Jakes, TD (2010). Help Me I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up. ReadHowYouWant.com. p. 1. 1459600363.

A picture is worth a thousand words.


The pitcher which goes too often to the well gets broken.

Politeness costs nothing and gains everything. <M.W. Montagu>

Politics makes strange bedfellows.

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.


Practice before you preach.


Practice makes perfect.

Prevention is better than cure.


Pride comes before a fall

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. p. 233. ISBN 0199539537. Meaning: Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work." Burton, Richard Francis (1863). Abeokuta and the Camaroons Mountains: an exploration, Volym 1. Tinsley Brothers. p. 309. Ammer, Christine (1997). The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. xciii. ISBN 039572774X. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Barry M, Casper (2000). Lost in Washington: finding the way back to democracy in America. Univ of Massachusetts Press. p. 190. 155849247X.

Procrastination is the thief of time.

Proverbs run in pairs.

Put a beggar on horseback and he'll ride it to death.

Put a beggar on horseback and he'll ride to the devil.

Put your money where your mouth is.

[edit]R

Reality is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.

Caper, R. (1999). A mind of one's own: a Kleinian view of self and object, Routledge. Pearce, G. and C. McLaughlin (2007). Truth or dare: art & documentary, Intellect. Latin: REPETITIO MATER MEMORIAE Rowlingson, Cameron B. (1919). Fundamentals of memory development. University Pub. Co.. p. 15.

Reality is often stranger than fiction

Repetition is the mother of memory.


Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. This traditional proverb is sometimes attributed to John F. Kennedy because he repeated it several times, but he disclaimed originality in his address in the Assembly Hall at the Paulskirche in Frankfurt, West Germany, 25 June 1963:

A rising tide lifts all boats.

As they say on my own Cape Cod, a rising tide lifts all the boats.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Earlier variants of this proverb are recorded as Hell is paved with good intentions. recorded as early as 1670, and an even earlier variant by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Hell is full of good intentions or desires. Similar from Latin: "The gates of hell are open night and day; Smooth the descent, and easy is the way" Virgil, the Aeneid Book VI line 126 Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 770. Early versions include:

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

Saxum volutum non obducitur musco


A rolling stone does not gather moss. Publius Syrus (var. Publilius), Sententiae (c. 42 BC), Maxim 524 A rolling stone is not covered with moss. Desiderius Erasmus, Adagia (15001536), III, iv The rolling stone never gathers moss. John Heywood, Proverbs (1546), Part 1, Ch. 11

Musco lapis volutus haud obducitur.


The rollyng tone neuer gathereth mose.


Rome wasn't built in a day.


Meaning: It takes time to create something impressive. Coady, Linus J. (1984). Rome wasn't built in a day: the history of the foundation of Brent's Cove Parish, 1959-1965. L.J. Coady. pp. 86.

The rotten apple injures its neighbors.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537.

Rules were meant to be broken.

[edit]S

Say something nice or say nothing at all.

Fluke, Joanne (2010). Plum Pudding Murder. Kensington Books. p. 270. 0758210256. Christian New Testament Luther, M., E. G. Rupp, et al. (1969). Luther and Erasmus: Free Will and Salvation, Westminster Press. Meaning: You believe in something when it is confirmed by concrete evidence. Martin, Elena (2005). Seeing Is Believing. Capstone Press. pp. 16. 0736852638. Scorza, J. A. (2008). Strong liberalism: habits of mind for democratic citizenship, University Press of New England.

Seek and ye shall find.

Seek water in the sea.

Seeing is believing.

Self trust is the first secret of success.

Sell a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man how to fish, he eats for the rest of his life.

Karl Marx D'Ambrosio-Crabtree, G. (2008). Secondhand Hope, Lulu.com. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Gaddis, W. (1975). J R, Knopf : distributed by Random House.

Set a thief to catch a thief.

Shit or get off the pot.

Silence is golden.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 734. Variant: Slowly but surely wins the race. Dela Riva, M. Pebbles in the Pond, Goodwill Trading Co., Inc. (2002). The economist, Economist Newspaper Ltd. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 424. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. BLANK. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 99. Gospel of Matthew 26:41 Meaning: A person that complains about a service often gets much. King, Jim (2009). Writings of a Cave Man. Jim King. p. 309. 0981688470. Contrast: "A blow with a word strikes deeper than a blow with a sword." From Lewis the (Black) Barber; Lake Charles, LA; who always told people, "Never let the right hand know what the left hand is doing; a still tongue makes a wise head; still water runs deep."

Slow and steady wins the race.

Smile, and the world smiles with you; cry, and you cry alone.

Some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you.

Someone who gossips to you will gossip about you.

Something is better than nothing.

A son is a son 'till he gets him a wife; a daughter's a daughter all her life.

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.


Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.

A still tongue makes a wise head.

Still waters run deep.

Meaning: Taciturn people have the most interesting things to say. Knoebel, Suzanne (2004). Still Waters Run Deep: A Health Care Novel. Warren H. Green Inc. pp. 200. 0875275443. Cf. Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs Collected by Thomas Fuller, 1732, Vol. II, p. 283, Nr. 6291 : "A Stitch in Time // May save nine." [16] Meaning: Forbidden things are the most desirable. Manser, Martin H (2007). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 93. 0816066736.

A stitch in time saves nine.

Stolen fruit is the sweetest.


Strike while the iron is hot.

George Farquhar, The Beaux' Stratagem, Act IV, scene 2; reported as a proverb in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 642. Walter Scott, The Fair Maid of Perth, Chapter V. Webster, Westward Ho, III. 2. Geoffrey Chaucer, Troylus and Cresseyde, Book II, Stanza 178. Only time will tell (what was, or wasn't, necessary). Peterson, C. W. and D. C. Jones (1989). Wake up, Canada!: reflections on vital national issues, University of Alberta Press. Puckridge, P. (2006). Success Is a Journey, Not a Destination, Success Technologies. Meaning: Don't worry about the future; focus on today's worries. From Matthew 6:34

Success (only) comes after every necessary precaution.

Success grows out of struggles to overcome difficulties.

Success is a journey not a destination.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.


[edit]T

Take an old dirty, hungry, mangy, sick and wet dog and feed him and wash him and nurse him back to health, and he will never turn on you and bite you. This is how man and dog differ.

(Possibly Lord Byron)

Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 197. Meaning: Unpleasant experiences will make you wiser. Friedrich Nietzsche, The Twilight of the Idols (1888) Carr, D. H., D. R. E. Education, et al. (2003). Mastering Real Estate Appraisal, Kaplan Publishing. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Nater, Swen; Gallimore, Ronald; Walton, Bill; Sinegal, Jim (2010). You Haven't Taught Until They Have Learned: John Wooden's Teaching Principles and Practices. Fitness Information Technology, Incorporated, 2010. pp. 151. 1935412086.

Talk of the devil and he's sure to appear.

That which does not kill you, makes you stronger.


The worth of a thing is what it will bring.

There is luck in odd numbers.

The teacher has not taught, until the student has learned.

There are no small parts, only small actors.

Southgate, M. (2006). Third Girl from the Left, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. William T. Golson, J. (2007). On the Matter of Relationships, Xulon Press. Mills, J. (2001). The Sacred Seal, Key Porter Books. or The calm before the storm. This comes from a Greek legend, as follows: One of the Argonauts returned from his voyage, and went home to his winery. He called for the local soothsayer, who had predicted before his voyage that he would die before he tasted another drop of his wine, from his vinery. As he finished saying this, he raised a cup filled with wine to his lips, in toast to the soothsayer, who said something in reply. Just then, he was called away to hunt a wild boar that was approaching, and died in his

There is a thin line between love and hate

There's always a calm before a storm.


There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip.

attempt to kill it. The phrase that the soothsayer said is translated best as, There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.

Where there's muck there's brass.

** Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 81. From the Latin: De gustibus non est disputandum. Kramer, Gary M (2006). Independent queer cinema: reviews and interviews. Routledge. p. 1. 1560233435. Meaning: An old person's experiences are supposed to make him wise. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 351. Granger, P. (2011). No Peace For The Wicked, Transworld. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 503. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Elkin, A. (1999). Stress management for dummies, John Wiley & Sons. Jim Brown, Louisiana statesman Sweeney, J. (1995). 350 Fabulous Writing Prompts: Thought-Provoking Springboards for Creative, Expository, and Journal Writing, Scholastic.

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

There's no accounting for taste.


There's no fool like an old fool.


There's no peace for the wicked

There's no place like home.

There is no royal road to learning.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

There's no time like the present.

There is only eight years between success and failure in politics.

A thief thinks everyone steals.

Think before you speak.

Lewicki, R. J., A. Hiam, et al. (1996). Think before you speak: the complete guide to strategic negotiation, J. Wiley. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 3. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 405. Spender, D. (1984). Time and tide wait for no man, Pandora Press. Cosby, B. (1988). Time flies, Bantam Books. Latin: Tempus fugit! Hauser, J. R., G. L. Urban, et al. (1992). Time flies when you're having fun: how consumers allocate their time when evaluating products, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Leonard, F. (1995). Time is money: a million dollar investment plan for today's twenty- and thirty-somethings, Perseus Books Group. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. (Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem "In Memoriam:27") Smith, J. G. (2008). Tit for Tat: BiblioLife. Sciascia, L., & Foulke, A. W. (2000). To each his own: New York Review Books. Pope, Essay on Criticism

This, too, shall pass.

Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Time and tide wait for none.

Time flies.

Time flies when you're having fun.

Time is money

Time will tell.

'Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.

Tit for tat.

To each, his own.

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

To know the road ahead ask those coming back.

Peltason, R. (2008). I Am Not My Breast Cancer: Women Talk Openly about Love & Sex, Hair Loss & Weight Gain, Mothers & Daughters, and Being a Woman with Breast Cancer: HarperCollins. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 139. From Shakespeare Meaning: You can have too much of something good. Hattaway, Michael (2000). As you like it. Cambridge University. p. 165. 052122232X. This Proverb is generally used by Persons who have received gross insults and Injuries from others (which they have for some time bore with Patience) to excuse their being at last transported to some Warmth of Resentment and Passion. Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 [17]

Tomorrow is another day.

Too many cooks spoil the broth.

Too much of one thing, good for nothing.


Tread on a worm and it will turn.

Trouble shared is trouble halved.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. "Truth is always strange stranger than fiction." Lord Byron, Don Juan In the Bible, John 8:32. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Wiersbe, W. W. (2001). Be Successful (1 Samuel): Attaining Wealth That Money Can't Buy: David C. Cook.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

The truth shall set you free, or The truth will set you free.

Truth will out.

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.

Two heads are better than one.

Homzie, H., & Phillips, M. (2009). Two Heads Are Better Than One: Baker & Taylor, CATS. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, Limited. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. William Ickes, P. D., & Ickes, W. K. (2004). Two's Company; Three's a Crowd: Booksurge Llc.

Two things prolong your life: A quiet heart and a loving wife.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Two's company; three's a crowd.

[edit]U

Unprepare to prepare, be prepared to be unprepared

supposedly said by W.B.Govo in 1916 Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Great depression era proverb.

Use it or lose it

Use it up, wear it out, make do with, or do without

[edit]V

Variety is the spice of life.

An early version is found in William Cowper, The Task (1785), Book II, "The Timepiece", lines 6067:

Variety's the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavour.

Virtue which parleys is near a surrender.

Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 [18]

Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. (Japanese proverb)

Kushner, M. (2011). Presentations For Dummies: John Wiley & Sons.

[edit]W

Walk softly, carry a big stick.

Variant of an African proverb that was made famous in the U.S. by Teddy Roosevelt, "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far". Meaning: First do your task, then talk about it. Skoll, Geoffrey R (1992). Walk the walk and talk the talk: an ethnography of a drug abuse treatment facility. Temple University Press. pp. 198. 0877229171. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 872. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 872. Manser, M. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs. Wordsworth Editions. p. 272. ISBN 1840223111.

Walk the walk and talk the talk.


Waste not, want not.

A watched pot never boils.

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

We can't always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.

By: Franklin D. Roosevelt By: Franklin D. Roosevelt Variant: We must take the bitter with the sweet.

We have nothing to fear but fear itself.

We must take the bad with the good.

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean,but the ocean would be less without that drop.

Chinoda, A. K. (2009). Simply Significant: Leaving a Legacy of Hope: Morgan James Publishing. Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi Variant: Well begun is half ended. Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 [19]

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Well begun is half done.


"Well done" is better than "well said".

Whiting, B. J. (1977). Early American proverbs and proverbial phrases: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Meaning: A lie will always spawn a bigger lie. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 875. ** Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. McLenighan, Valjean (1981). What you see is what you get. Follett Pub. Co.. p. 4. 0695313703. Goodwin, F. A. (2005). You Reap What You Sow. R.A.N. Pub id = 1411643550. pp. 203. Similar to You reap what you sow Based on the Bible (Gal. 6:7): "for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." [20] Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. BLANK. Richardson, S. (2010). Clarissa Harlowe and Pamela: Clarissa Harlowe or the history of a young lady (in 9 volumes) and Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (Mobi Classics): MobileReference.

What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.


What goes around comes around.

What goes up must come down.

What you see is what you get.

What you sow is what you reap.

Where there is a will, there is a way.


What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

When a thing is done advice comes too late.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537.

When one door closes, another door opens.

Meaning: When you lose something, an opportunity for something else presents itself. Bachom, Sandi (2007). Hell in the Hallway: When One Door Closes Another Door Opens--But It's. Hazelden Publishing. pp. 125. 1592853684. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 81. Speake, Jennifer; Simpson, John (2009). The Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press. pp. 388. ISBN 0199539537. Thomas Gray, "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College" Maguire, L. (2006). Where there's a will there's a way: or, all I really need to know I learned from Shakespeare: Perigee Book. Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 [22] B. Pascal Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 872. Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 303.

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise. [[21]]

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Where vice goes before, vengeance follows after.

The whole dignity of man lies in the power of thought.

Willful waste makes woeful want.

The wish is father to the thought.

A woman is like a tea bag; you'll never know how strong she is until she's in hot water

Massing, M. (2000). The Fix: University of California Press. From a folk rhyme - "A man may work from sun to sun, but woman's work is never done." Gurian, M. (2002). The Wonder of Girls: Understanding the Hidden Nature of Our Daughters: Pocket Star.

A woman's work is never done.

Women need men like a fish needs a bicycle.

A word spoken is past recalling.

Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 925. Opdyke, J. D. (2008). The World Is Your Oyster: The Guide to Finding Great Investments Around the Globe, Crown Business. McDowell, S. (2010). Apologetics Study Bible for Students: B&H Publishing Group.

The world is your oyster.

Worship the Creator not His creation.

The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them knowing you can't have them.

Hall, M., & Hunt, J. (2005). FW: FW : through the firewall: Publish On Demand. Furuseth, A. (1927). Work is worship: a call to and defense of freedom, labor and labor unions based upon Christian belief and historical evolution : delivered to the students at the California University, Labor Day, 1927: s.n.

Work is worship.

[edit]Y

You always admire what you really dont understand.

Cook, J., S. Deger, et al. (2007). The Book of Positive Quotations, Fairview Press. Mass, W. (2008). Jeremy Fink and the meaning of life, Scholastic. Meaning: You can give someone an opportunity, but you can't force him to take advantage of it. Medlin, Carl (2008). Second Great Reformation: Man Shall Not Live by Faith Only. Xulon Press. p. 74. 1606476459. Similar to What you sow is what you reap Divers Proverbs, Nathan Bailey, 1721 [23]

You always find something in the last place you look.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

The younger brother the better gentleman.

You can't have an omelette unless you break the egg.

Mieder, Wolfgang; Kingsbury, Stewart A.; Harder, Kelsie B. (1992). A Dictionary of American proverbs. p. 259. Meaning: Different segments of your life must remain contiguous such as business, your love life and leisure.

You don't shit where you eat.

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