A dictionary of English proverbs and proverbial phrases

Part 3

Chapter 34,302 wordsPublic domain

702. GOOD COUNSEL. Good counsel never comes too late.

703. GOOD FRIEND. He's a good friend that speaks well of us behind our backs.

704. GOOD HARVESTS. Good harvests make men prodigal, bad ones provident.

705. GOOD MAXIM. A good maxim is never out of season.

706. GOOD MONEY. It is no use throwing good money after bad.

707. GOOD NAME.

The wife that expects to have a good name Is always at home as if she were lame, And the maid that is honest her chiefest delight Is still to be doing from morning to night.

708. GOODS. A man may lose his goods for want of demanding them.

709. GOOD THINGS. God reacheth us good things with our own hands.

710. GOOD THING. One can never have too much of a good thing.

711. GOOD TURNS. One never loseth by doing good turns.

712. GOOD TURN. One good turn deserves another.

713. GOOD WORDS.

Good words without deeds Are rushes and reeds.

714. GOWN. The gown is hers who wears it, and the world is his who enjoys it.

715. GRASP. Grasp no more than thy hand will hold.

716. GRAIN. Never split timber against the grain.

717. GRASP. Grasp all, lose all.

718. GRASS. March grass never did good.

719. GRASS.

If the grass grow in Janiveer, It grows the worse for't all the year.

720. GRASS. While the grass grows the steed starves.

721. GRASS. Grass grows not upon the highway.

722. GRAVES. We shall lie all alike in our graves.

723. GREAT DOWRY. A great dowry is a bed full of troubles.

724. GREAT MARKS. Great marks are soonest hit.

725. GREAT ONES. There would be no great ones if there were no little.

726. GREAT SHIP. A great ship needs deep waters.

727. GREEN WOOD. Green wood makes a hot fire.

728. GREEN WOUND. A green wound is soon healed.

729. GREEN WINTER. A green winter makes a fat churchyard.

730. GREY HAIRS. Gray hairs are death's blossoms.

731. GRIEF. Grief pent up will burst the heart.

732. GRIND. The mill cannot grind with the water that is past.

733. GUEST. An unbidden guest must bring his own stool with him.

734. GUEST. 'Tis an ill guest that never drinks to his host.

735. GUILTY CONSCIENCE. A guilty conscience needs no accuser.

H

736. HAIL. Hail brings frost in the tail.

737. HALF A LOAF. Half a loaf is better than no bread.

738. HALF HANGED. Better be half hanged than ill wed.

739. HAND-SAW. A hand-saw is a good thing, but not to shave with.

740. HAND-SAW. He knows not a hawk from a hand-saw.

741. HANDSOME. He who is not handsome at twenty, nor strong at thirty, nor wise at forty, nor rich at fifty, will never be handsome, strong, rich, or wise.

742. HANGED. He who is born to be hanged will never be drowned.

743. HANGED. One may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.

744. HANGING. There are many ways of killing a dog beside hanging him.

745. HAPPY.

Happy is the bride the sun shines on, And the corpse the rain rains on.

746. HARE. Where we least think, there goeth the hare away.

747. HARDLY EVER. "Hardly ever" saves many a lie.

748. HARE. Little dogs start the hare, but great ones catch it.

749. HARE SKIN. Sell not the hare's skin before you have caught him.

750. HARM. Harm watch, harm catch.

751. HARMS. Wise men learn by others' harms, fools by their own.

752. HARVEST. He that hath a good harvest may be content with some thistles.

753. HASTE. More haste worse speed.

754. HASTE. Haste trips up its own heels.

755. HASTE. Over haste makes certain waste.

756. HASTE. Haste over nothing but catching fleas.

757. HASTY MEN. Hasty men never lack woe.

758. HASTY RESOLUTIONS. Hasty resolutions seldom speed well.

759. HAT. Pull down your hat on the wind side.

760. HATCHET. When the tree is down, every one runs with his hatchet.

761. HAVEN. 'Tis safe riding in a good haven.

762. HAY. Make hay while the sun shines.

763. HEAD. Man is the head, but woman turns it.

764. HEAD. He that hath no head, needs no hat.

765. HEAD. Better be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse.

766. HEADACHE. When the head aches, all the body is the worse.

767. HEALED. A man is not so soon healed as hurt.

768. HEALETH. God healeth, and the physician hath the thanks.

769. HEALTH. Health is better than wealth.

770. HEART. What the heart thinketh, the tongue speaketh.

771. HEARTS. Hearts may agree though heads differ.

772. HEDGE. Where the hedge is lowest, men commonly leap over.

773. HEDGE. A low hedge is easily leapt over.

774. HEDGE.

A hedge between Keeps friendship green.

775. HEDGES. Hedges have eyes, and walls have ears.

776. HEED. Good take heed doth surely speed.

777. HEELS. One pair of heels is often worth two pair of hands.

778. HEN CROWS. It is a sad house where the hen crows louder than the cock.

779. HID. Love and a cough cannot be hid.

780. HIDE. You cannot hide an eel in a sack.

781. HIDE. Hide nothing from thy minister, physician, and lawyer.

782. HIGH PLACES. High places have their precipices.

783. HIGH WINDS. High winds blow on high hills.

784. HIMSELF. Every man is best known to himself.

785. HIMSELF. He is not wise that is not wise for himself.

786. HIND. To fright a hind is not the way to catch her.

787. HINDERMOST DOG. The hindermost dog may catch the hare.

788. HOBBY. Happy is the man that has a hobby.

789. HOBBY-HORSE. Every man has his hobby-horse.

790. HOG. A hog in armour is still but a hog.

791. HOLLOA. Do not holloa till you are out of the wood.

792. HOME. Home is home, be it ever so homely.

793. HONESTY. Honesty is the best policy; but he who acts on this principle is not an honest man.

794. HONESTY. A man never surfeits of too much honesty.

795. HONOUR. Better poor with honour than rich with shame.

796. HONOUR. Honour and ease are seldom bed-fellows.

797. HONOUR. Where honour ceaseth, there knowledge decreaseth.

798. HOOP. He giveth one knock on the hoop, and another on the barrel.

799. HOPE. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.

800. HOPE. Hope humbles more than despair.

801. HOPE. Hope is a good breakfast, but a bad supper.

802. HOPE. If it were not for hope, the heart would break.

803. HOPS.

Till St. James's day be come and gone, You may have hops, or you may have none.

804. HORN. All are not hunters that blow the horn.

805. HORSE. A good horse cannot be of a bad colour.

806. HORSE. A good horse often wants a good spur.

807. HORSE. 'Tis an ill horse will not carry his own provender.

808. HORSE. One man may lead a horse to water, but fifty cannot make him drink.

809. HOT LOVE. Hot love is soon cold.

810. HOT MAY. A hot May makes a fat churchyard.

811. HOUNDS. Hold not with the hounds and run with the hare.

812. HOUSE.

He that buys a house ready wrought, Hath many a pin and nail for nought.

813. HOUSE. Better one's house too little one day, than too big all the year round.

814. HOUSEHOLDERS. Wishers and woulders are never good householders.

815. HOUSEKEEPER. A noble housekeeper needs no doors.

816. HUMOUR. Every man has his humour.

817. HUMOURS. The stillest humours are always the worst.

818. HUNDRED YEARS. It is all one a hundred years hence.

819. HUNG. As well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.

820. HUNGER. Hunger costs little; daintiness much.

821. HUNGER. Hunger will break through stone walls.

822. HUNGER. Hunger makes short devotion.

823. HUNGER. Hunger makes hard bones sweet beans.

824. HUNGER. Hunger is the finest sauce.

825. HUNGRY FLIES. Hungry flies bite sore.

826. HUNGRY HORSE. A hungry horse makes a clean manger.

827. HUNGRY MAN. A hungry man, an angry man.

828. HUNGRY MEN. Hungry men think the cook lazy.

829. HUNGRY MEN. Bitter is sweet to hungry men.

830. HUSBAND. Be a good husband, and you will get a penny to spend, a penny to lend, and a penny for a friend.

831. HUSBAND. In the husband wisdom, in the wife gentleness.

I

832. IDLE BRAIN. An idle brain is the devil's workshop.

833. IDLE FOLK. Idle folk have the least leisure.

834. IDLE FOLK. Idle folk take the most pains.

835. IDLE. A young man idle, an old man needy.

836. IDLE. Better be idle than ill employed.

837. IDLENESS. Idleness is the key of beggary.

838. IDLENESS. Of idleness comes no goodness.

839. IDLENESS. Idleness is the root of all evil.

840. IDLENESS. Idleness must thank itself if it goes barefoot.

841. IGNORANT. The ignorant think all things wrong which they cannot understand.

842. ILL BIRD. It is an ill bird that defiles its own nest.

843. ILL DOG. 'Tis an ill dog that deserves not a bone.

844. ILL FORTUNE. He who hath no ill fortune, is dazed with good.

845. ILL GOT. Ill got, ill spent.

846. ILL GOTTEN. Ill gotten gains seldom prosper.

847. ILL LUCK. When ill luck falls asleep, let nobody wake her.

848. ILL NEWS. Ill news comes apace.

849. ILL WEEDS. Ill weeds grow apace.

850. ILL WORD. One ill word asketh another.

851. IMPOSSIBLE. Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.

852. IMPUDENCE. Impudence is not courage.

853. INCH. Give him an inch, and he'll take an ell.

854. INCHES. God never measures men by inches.

855. INDUSTRY. Industry is fortune's right hand and frugality her left.

856. INFIRMITIES. Jest not at another's infirmities.

857. INGRATITUDE. Ingratitude is the daughter of pride.

858. INJURY. Pocket an injury.

859. INN. He goes not out of his way that goes to a good inn.

860. INSTINCT. Woman's instinct is often truer than man's reasoning.

861. INTENTIONS. Hell is paved with good intentions.

862. IRONS. He that hath many irons in the fire, some of them will cool.

863. ITCH. Itch and ease can no man please.

J

864. JACK. Jack-in-office is a great man.

865. JACK. Every Jack has his Jill.

866. JANIVEER.

If Janiveer calends be summerly gay 'Twill be winterly weather till calends of May.

867. JANIVEER. Who in Janiveer sows oats, gets gold and groats.

868. JEST. Better lose a jest than a friend.

869. JEST. Many a true word is spoken in jest.

870. JESTING. Jesting lies bring serious sorrows.

871. JESTS. Jests, like sweetmeats, are often sour sauce.

872. JOURNEY. 'Tis a great journey to the world's end.

873. JOY. No joy without annoy.

874. JOY. There's no joy without alloy.

875. JOY. Joy surfeited turns to sorrow.

876. JUDGE. Judge not of men or things at first sight.

877. JUDGE. Judge not a ship as she lies on the stocks.

878. JUDGMENT. He hath a good judgment who is apt to distrust his own.

879. JUNE.

Calm weather in June Sets corn in tune.

880. JULY.

If the first of July, it be rainy weather, 'Twill rain more or less for four weeks together.

881. JUST. Just is honest, and honest is just.

K

882. KEEP. Keep a thing seven years, and you will find a use for it.

883. KEEP. Keep some till more come.

884. KERNEL. He that will eat the kernel, must crack the nut.

885. KEY. The wife is the key of the house.

886. KEYS. All the keys hang not at one man's girdle.

887. KIN.

Still stand by kin Through thick and thin.

888. KINDLED. Wood half burnt is easily kindled.

889. KINDNESS. Kindness will always conquer.

890. KINDNESSES. Kindnesses, like grain, increase by sowing.

891. KINSFOLK. Many kinsfolk, few friends.

892. KISS. As easy kiss my hand.

893. KISS. Many kiss the child for the nurse's sake.

894. KISSING. Kissing goes by favour.

895. KITCHEN. A fat kitchen, a lean will.

896. KITCHEN. The taste of the kitchen is better than the smell.

897. KITCHEN. Silks and satins put out the fire in the kitchen.

898. KNAVERY. Knavery may serve for a turn, but honesty is best in the long run.

899. KNAVES. Knaves and fools divide the world.

900. KNAVES. When knaves fall out, true men come by their goods.

901. KNOT. He tied a knot with his tongue he couldn't undo with his teeth.

902. KNOTS. Fools tie knots and wise men loose them.

903. KNOTTY TIMBER. To split knotty timber use smooth wedges.

904. KNOWLEDGE. Knowledge is power.

905. KNOWLEDGE. Knowledge in youth is wisdom in age.

906. KNOWLEDGE. The knowledge of the disease is half the cure.

907. KNOWLEDGE. Knowledge, like physic, is more plague than profit, if it arrives too late.

908. KNOWLEDGE. An ounce of knowledge may be worth a pound of comfort.

L

909. LABOURS. He that labours and thrives, spins gold.

910. LABOUR. Labour warms, sloth harms.

911. LADLE. The ladle cools the pot.

912. LADDER. Step after step the ladder is ascended.

913. LAMB'S TAIL. A woman's tongue wags like a lamb's tail.

914. LAME. The lame goeth as far as the staggerer.

915. LAMMAS. After Lammas corn ripens as much by night as by day.

916. LAND. Land was never lost for want of an heir.

917. LAND.

Many a one for land, Takes a fool by the hand.

918. LANTERN. On a dark night an owl would be glad of a lantern.

919. LAST STRAW. It is the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

920. LATE. Better late than never.

921. LAUGH. Let them laugh that win.

922. LAUGH. That's where the laugh comes in.

923. LAUGH. They laugh the loudest who have least to lose.

924. LAW. In a thousand pounds of law there's not an ounce of love.

925. LAW. The law is not the same at morning and night.

926. LAW. He that loves law will get his fill.

927. LAW MAKERS. Law makers should not be law breakers.

928. LAWS. Laws catch flies, but let hornets go free.

929. LAWS.

Laws, like spiders' webs, are wrought, Large flies break through, the small are caught.

930. LAWS. Laws were made for rogues.

931. LAWYER. A good lawyer, an evil neighbour.

932. LAWYERS. Fair and softly as lawyers go to heaven.

933. LAZY FOLK. Lazy folk take the most pains.

934. LEAD. A man may lead a horse to the water, but he cannot make him drink unless he will.

935. LEAD. 'Tis folly to dig for lead with a silver shovel.

936. LEAK. A small leak will sink a great ship.

937. LEARN. Never too old to learn.

938. LEARNING. Learning makes a man fit company for himself.

939. LEAST. Least said is soonest mended.

940. LEAST BOY. The least boy always carries the greatest fiddle.

941. LEATHER. Nothing like leather.

942. LEECH. The empty leech sucks sore.

943. LEND. He that doth not lend doth lose his friend.

944. LEND. He would not lend his knife to the devil to stab himself.

945. LIAR. A liar should have a good memory.

946. LIARS. Liars have short wings.

947. LIBEL. The greater truth, the greater libel.

948. LIBERAL. The liberal man deviseth liberal things.

949. LIBERTY. Too much liberty spoils all.

950. LIE. One lie makes many.

951. LIES. He lies as fast as a dog can trot.

952. LIFE. Life is full of hazards, which experience neither bought nor taught will always enable us to foresee.

953. LIFE. Life is half spent before we know what it is.

954. LIFE. Life is sweet.

955. LIFE. Life lies not in living, but in liking.

956. LIFE. While there's life there's hope.

957. LIGHT. He stands in his own light.

958. LIGHT. Every light has its shadow.

959. LIGHT. Every light is not the sun.

960. LIGHT GAINS. Light gains make a heavy purse.

961. LIKE. As like as two peas.

962. LIKE. Every one as they like best, as the good man said when he kissed his cow.

963. LIKE. Like father like son.

964. LIKE. Like will to like.

965. LION. The lion's not half so fierce as he's painted.

966. LIPS. Lips however rosy must be fed.

967. LISTENERS. Listeners never hear good of themselves.

968. LITTLE. Little and often fills the purse.

969. LITTLE. Little mother, little daughter.

970. LITTLE BIRDS. Little birds may peck a dead lion.

971. LITTLE BOATS. Little boats must keep the shore.

972. LITTLE BODIES. Little bodies have large souls.

973. LITTLE GOOD. A little good is soon spent.

974. LITTLE GOODS. Little goods, little care.

975. LITTLE HOLE. One may see day at a little hole.

976. LITTLE HOUSE.

A little house well fill'd, A little land well till'd, And a little wife well will'd.

977. LITTLE MINDS. Little minds, like weak liquors, are soon soured.

978. LITTLE THINGS. Little things please little minds.

979. LIVE. Everything would live.

980. LIVE. It's not how long, but how well, we live.

981. LIVE. Live and learn.

982. LIVE. Live and let live.

983. LIVER (LONGEST). The longest liver dies at last.

984. LIVES. He that lives not well one year sorrows for it seven.

985. LIVETH. He liveth long that liveth well.

986. LIVING DOG. A living dog is better than a dead lion.

987. LOAD. All lay load on the willing horse.

988. LOCK. You needn't lock the stable door when the steed is stolen.

989. LOOK. Look before you leap.

990. LOOK. They look one way and row another.

991. LOOKED FOR. Long looked for comes at last.

992. LONG LANE. 'Tis a long lane that has no turning.

993. LONGS. He that longs most lacks most.

994. LONGEST DAY. The longest day must have an end.

995. LOQUACITY. The loquacity of fools is a warning to the wise.

996. LORDS. New lords new laws.

997. LOSERS. Losers are always in the wrong.

998. LOSS.

He that goeth out with often loss, At last comes home by Weeping Cross.

999. LOST. 'Tis not lost that comes at last.

1000. LOVE. Love is no lack.

1001. LOVE. Love is blind.

1002. LOVE. Love is the touchstone of virtue.

1003. LOVE. Love lives in cottages as well as in courts.

1004. LOVE. Love me little, love me long.

1005. LOVE. Love me, love my dog.

1006. LOVE. They love too much who die for love.

1007. LOVE. Whom we love best to them we can say least.

1008. LOVE AND A COUGH. Love and a cough cannot be hid.

1009. LOVE (HOT). Hot love is soon cold.

1010. LOVERS. Lovers live on love, as larks on leeks.

1011. LOWLY SIT. Lowly sit and be richly warm.

1012. LUCK. Give a man luck, and throw him into the sea.

1013. LUCK. The devil's children have the devil's luck.

1014. LUCK (ILL). What is worse than ill-luck?

1015. LUCKY. It is better to be born lucky than rich.

1016. LUCKY. It's better to be lucky than wise.

1017. LUCKY. Happy go lucky.

1018. LURCH. Never leave a friend in the lurch.

M

1019. MAIDENS. Maidens must be seen and not heard.

1020. MALICE. Malice is mindful.

1021. MALT. Slow fire makes sweet malt.

1022. MAN. A man at five may be a fool at fifteen.

1023. MAN. Man proposes, God disposes.

1024. MAN. Man doth what he can, and God what He will.

1025. MANNERS. Manners often make fortunes.

1026. MANY HANDS. Many hands make light work.

1027. MARCH.

March wind and May sun, Make clothes white and maids dun.

1028. MARCH. March many weathers.

1029. MARCH DUST. A bushel of March dust is worth a king's ransom.

1030. MARKET. A man must sell his ware at the rate of the market.

1031. MARKET. Forsake not the market for the toll.

1032. MARKET. If fools went not to market, bad ware would not be sold.

1033. MARKET. Three women and a goose make a market.

1034. MARRIAGE (ILL). An ill marriage is a spring of ill fortune.

1035. MARRIAGE. Marriage halves our griefs, and doubles our joys.

1036. MARRIAGES. Marriages are made in heaven.

1037. MARRIES. He who marries for wealth sells his liberty.

1038. MARRY. Marry in haste, repent at leisure.

1039. MARRY.

Bachelors, before you marry, Have a house wherein to tarry.

1040. MARRY.

If you regard old saws, mind, thus they say, 'Tis bad to marry in the month of May.

1041. MASTER. Like master like man.

1042. MASTER. He that will too soon be his own master, will have a fool for his scholar.

1043. MASTER. No man is his craft's master the first day.

1044. MASTER. Marry above your match and you get a master.

1045. MASTER. One eye of the master sees more than four of the servants'.

1046. MASTER-CRAFT. Of all the crafts honesty is the master-craft.

1047. MASTERS. No man can serve two masters.

1048. MASTER'S EYE. The master's eye makes the horse fat.

1049. MASTER'S EYE. The master's eye does more work than his hands.

1050. MATRIMONY. Matrimony's a matter of money.

1051. MAY BE. Every "may be" hath a "may not be."

1052. MAY. A windy March and a rainy April make a beautiful May.

1053. MAY (COLD).

A cold May, Plenty of corn and hay.

1054. MEADOW. A thin meadow is soon mowed.

1055. MEASURE. Good measure is a merry mean.

1056. MEASURE. With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.

1057. MEASURE. Measure twice before you cut once.

1058. MEASURES. He measures your corn by his bushel.

1059. MEAT. Much meat, much maladies.

1060. MEAT. Meat is much, but manners is more.

1061. MEDIUM. There's a medium between painting the face and not washing it.

1062. MEDLARS. Medlars are never good till they be rotten.

1063. MEDLARS. Time and straw make medlars ripe.

1064. MEND. It is never too late to mend.

1065. MEND. If every one would mend one, all would be mended.

1066. MEND. In the end things will mend.

1067. MERCY. Cry you mercy, who killed my cat?

1068. MERRY. He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

1069. MERRY. It's good to be merry and wise.

1070. MERRY. It is good to be merry at meat.

1071. MERRY. Merry meet, merry part, merry meet again.

1072. MERRY. As long lives a merry heart as a sad.

1073. MERRY MONTH. The merry month of May.

1074. METTLE. Mettle is dangerous in a blind horse.

1075. MILK. Milk which will not be made into butter must be made into cheese.

1076. MILK. Who would keep a cow when he may have a bottle of milk for a penny!

1077. MILL. No mill, no meal.

1078. MILLSTONE. I can see as far into a millstone as the picker.

1079. MILLSTONE. The lower millstone grinds as well as the upper.

1080. MIND. Out of sight, out of mind.

1081. MIND.

In the forehead and the eye, The picture of the mind doth lie.

1082. MIND. A woman's mind and winter wind often change.

1083. MIND. A wise man changes his mind; a fool never.

1084. MIRTH. A pennyworth of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow.

1085. MISCHIEF. A little mischief is too much.

1086. MISCHIEFS. Mischiefs come by the pound and go away by the ounce.

1087. MISFORTUNES. Misfortunes seldom come alone.

1088. MISS. A miss is as good as a mile.

1089. MISTS.

So many mists in March you see, So many frosts in May will be.

1090. MISUNDERSTANDING. Misunderstanding brings lies to town.

1091. MOB. The mob has many heads, but no brains.

1092. MOCKING. Mocking is catching.

1093. MODESTY. Modesty is the handmaid of virtue.

1094. MONDAY.

Monday for wealth, Tuesday for health, Wednesday the best day of all; Thursday for crosses, Friday for losses, Saturday no luck at all.

1095. MONEY. Money is more easily made than made use of.

1096. MONEY.

They who have money are troubled about it, And they who have none are troubled without it.

1097. MONEY. Money makes money.

1098. MONEY. Money often makes the man.

1099. MONEY. The abundance of money ruins youth.

1100. MONEY. A fool and his money are soon parted.

1101. MONEY. A fool may make money, but a wise man should spend it.

1102. MONEY. 'Tis money makes the mare to go.

1103. MONEY. He that hath no money needeth no purse.

1104. MOON.

In the old of the moon, A cloudy morning bodes a fair afternoon.

1105. MOON.

A Saturday's moon Always comes too soon.

1106. MOON. The moon's not seen where the sun shines.

1107. MORE. The more the merrier; the fewer the better cheer.

1108. MORNING. Lose an hour in the morning, and you'll be all day hunting for it.

1109. MORNING SUN. The morning sun never lasts a day.

1110. MOST. Do as most do, and fewest will speak ill of thee.

1111. MOST. Most take all.

1112. MOTHER'S BREATH. The mother's breath is always sweet.

1113. MOTHER'S HEART. A mother's heart never grows old.

1114. MOTHER-WIT. An ounce of mother-wit is worth a pound of clergy.

1115. MOUNTAIN. Never make a mountain of a mole-hill.

1116. MOUNTAIN. If the mountain will not go to Mahomet, let Mahomet go to the mountain.

1117. MOUTH CIVILITY. Mouth civility costs little but is worth less.

1118. MOUTHS. He that sends mouths sends meat.

1119. MUCH. A fool demands much, but he's a greater that gives it.

1120. MUCH. Much is expected where much is given.

1121. MUCH. Much would have more, and lost all.

1122. MUDDLES. Muddles at home make husbands roam.