A dictionary of English proverbs and proverbial phrases
Part 5
1538. STOOLS. Between two stools he comes to the ground.
1539. STOOP. He must stoop that hath a low door.
1540. STORM. After a storm comes a calm.
1541. STORE. Store is no sore.
1542. STORY. One story is good until another's told.
1543. STRAIGHT TREES. Straight trees have crooked roots.
1544. STRATAGEM. By stratagem, not valour.
1545. STREAM. No striving against the stream.
1546. STRIFE. Weight and measure take away strife.
1547. STRIFE. Haste makes waste, and waste makes want, and want makes strife between the good man and his wife.
1548. STRIKE. Strike while the iron is hot.
1549. STROKES. Little strokes fell great oaks.
1550. STUDY. Morning is the time for study.
1551. STUMBLES. He that runs in the night stumbles.
1552. STUMBLES. He that stumbles twice over the same stone, deserves to break his shins.
1553. STUMBLES. 'Tis a good horse that never stumbles, and a good wife that never grumbles.
1554. SUBJECTS' LOVE. The subjects' love is the king's lifeguard.
1555. SUCCESS. Nothing succeeds like success.
1556. SUCCESS.
'Tis not in mortals to command success, But we'll do more, Sempronius, we'll deserve it.
1557. SUCKERS. The young suckers drain the old tree.
1558. SUFFERANCE. Of sufferance comes ease.
1559. SUFFICIENT. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.
1560. SUIT. That suit is best that best fits me.
1561. SUNSHINE. No sunshine but hath some shadow.
1562. SUPPERLESS. Better go to bed supperless than to rise in debt.
1563. SUPPERS. Light suppers make long lives.
1564. SURE. Sure bind, sure find.
1565. SURGEON. A good surgeon must have an eagle's eye, a lion's heart, and a lady's hand.
1566. SWALLOW. One swallow does not make a summer.
1567. SWALLOW. One swallow makes not a spring, nor one woodcock a winter.
1568. SWEAT. No sweat, no sweet.
1569. SWEEP. Sweep before your own door.
1570. SWEEP. They have need of a besom that sweep the house with a turf.
1571. SWEET. He deserves not the sweet that will not taste the sour.
1572. SWIM. He must needs swim that's held up by the chin.
1573. SWIM. Never trust yourself out of your depth till you can swim.
1574. SWORD. He that strikes with the sword shall be beaten with the scabbard.
1575. SWORD. Who draws his sword against his prince must throw away the scabbard.
T
1576. TABLE. A poor man's table is soon spread.
1577. TABLE. Who depends upon another man's table often dines late.
1578. TALE-BEARER. Remove the tale-bearer and contention ceaseth.
1579. TALE-BEARERS. Put no faith in tale-bearers.
1580. TALK. Talk of the devil and his imp appears.
1581. TALKERS. The greatest talkers are always the least doers.
1582. TALKING. Talking pays no toll.
1583. TASTE. To him that hath lost his taste, sweet is sour.
1584. TEACHETH. He teacheth ill who teacheth all.
1585. TEARS. Nothing dries up sooner than tears.
1586. TEETH. A man may dig his grave with his teeth.
1587. TEMPERANCE. Temperance is the best physic.
1588. TEMPTER. The tempter is the greater rogue.
1589. THANKS. He loseth his thanks who promiseth and delayeth.
1590. THATCHED. When I have thatched his house he would throw me down.
1591. THIEF. Give a thief rope enough and he'll hang himself.
1592. THIEF. The thief's sorry because he is caught, not because he is the thief.
1593. THIEF. Set a thief to take a thief.
1594. THIEVES. All are not thieves that dogs bark at.
1595. THINK. One may think that dares not speak.
1596. THINK. Think twice before you speak once.
1597. THINK. Think much, speak little, and write less.
1598. THINK.
Who thinks to live must live to think, Else mind and body lose their link.
1599. THINKS. The horse thinks one thing, and he that rides him another.
1600. THINKERS. Thinkers govern toilers.
1601. THISTLES. Gather thistles, expect prickles.
1602. THISTLES. He that sows nothing plants thistles.
1603. THORN. No rose without a thorn.
1604. THORN. The thorn comes forth with his point forwards.
1605. THORNS. Roses, mind you, have thorns.
1606. THORNS. He that handles thorns shall prick his fingers.
1607. THOUGHTS. Second thoughts are best.
1608. THOUGHTS. Thoughts are free.
1609. THREATENED. There are more threatened than struck.
1610. THREEPENCE. If you make not much of threepence you'll ne'er be worth a groat.
1611. THRIFTY. Thrifty men are fond of thrifty sayings.
1612. THRIVE.
He that will thrive must rise at five. He that hath thriven may lie till seven.
1613. THUNDER. Thunder in December foretells fine weather.
1614. THUNDERS. When it thunders the thief becomes honest.
1615. THYSELF. For what thou canst do thyself rely not on another.
1616. TIDE. There is a tide in the affairs of man which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.
1617. TIDE. Every tide has its ebb.
1618. TIDE. The tide will fetch away what the ebb brings.
1619. TIME. Take time by the forelock.
1620. TIME. A mouse, in time, may bite in two a cable.
1621. TIME. Take time when time is, for time will away.
1622. TIME. Time and tide tarry for no man.
1623. TIME. Time assuages the greatest grief.
1624. TIME. Time cures sorrow.
1625. TIME. Time is the rider that breaks youth.
1626. TIME. Time tries all.
1627. TIMELY. Timely blossom timely ripe.
1628. TITLE. Simon Noland, clown, is a better style and title than Humphrey Hadland, gent.
1629. TO-DAY. To-day me, to-morrow thee.
1630. TOM. He's Tom Tell-troth.
1631. TO-MORROW. To-morrow comes never.
1632. TONGUE. A man may hold his tongue in an ill time.
1633. TONGUE. Temper the tongue.
1634. TONGUE. Confine your tongue, lest it confine you.
1635. TONGUE. Keep your tongue within your teeth.
1636. TONGUE.
The tongue breaketh bone, Though itself have none.
1637. TONGUE. The tongue's not steel, yet it cuts.
1638. TONGUE. The tongue talks at the head's cost.
1639. TONGUE. One tongue is enough for a woman.
1640. TONGUE. Who has not a good tongue, ought to have good hands.
1641. TOO LATE. Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.
1642. TOOLS. A bad workman quarrels with his tools.
1643. TOOLS. What is a workman without his tools?
1644. TOO FAR. Too far east is west.
1645. TOO MUCH. He that grasps at too much, holds fast nothing.
1646. TOP SAWYERS. We can't all be top sawyers.
1647. TRADE. He that hath a trade hath an estate.
1648. TRADE. Every man to his trade.
1649. TRADE. Trade knows neither friends nor kindred.
1650. TRADE. Trade is the mother of money.
1651. TRADES. Jack of all trades, and master of none.
1652. TRADESMAN. A tradesman who gets not loseth.
1653. TRAVELS. He that travels far knows much.
1654. TREE. A tree is known by its fruit, and not by its leaves.
1655. TREE. Remove an old tree and it will wither to death.
1656. TREES. Set trees poor, and they will grow rich; set them rich, and they will grow poor.
1657. TREES. You cannot see wood for trees.
1658. TRIFLE. Fall not out with a friend for a trifle.
1659. TROUBLE. He who seeketh trouble never misseth it.
1660. TROUBLED WATERS. Never fish in troubled waters.
1661. TROUBLES. Never make troubles of trifles.
1662. TROUBLES. Hidden troubles disquiet most.
1663. TRUE WORD. There's many a true word spoken in jest.
1664. TRUE. That is true which all men say.
1665. TRUST.
If you trust before you try, You may repent it ere you die.
1666. TRUST. Trust in God, and keep your powder dry.
1667. TRUST NOT. Trust not a broken staff.
1668. TRUST NOT. Trust not a horse's heel, nor a dog's tooth.
1669. TRUTH. Truth lies in a well.
1670. TRUTH. Truth is stranger than fiction.
1671. TRUTH. Fair fall truth and daylight.
1672. TRUTH. Speak the truth and shame the devil.
1673. TRUTH. Truth hath a good face, but bad clothes.
1674. TRUTH. Truth may be blamed, but it can't be shamed.
1675. TRUTH.
Whatever you do, whatever you say, Tell your doctor and lawyer the truth alway.
1676. TRY. Try your friend before you trust him.
1677. TUB. Every tub must stand on its own bottom.
1678. TURN. One good turn deserves another.
1679. TURNED. Swine, women, and bees are not to be turned.
1680. TWELFTH DAY. At twelfth-day the days are lengthened a cock's stride.
1681. TWENTY. As good twenty as nineteen.
1682. TWICE. If things were to be done twice, all would be wise.
1683. TWO FACES. Never carry two faces under one hat.
1684. TWO HEADS. Two heads are better than one.
1685. TWO PLACES. One cannot be in two places at once.
1686. TWO SUNDAYS. When two Sundays come in one week--that is, never.
U
1687. UNHAPPY. An unhappy lad may make a good man.
1688. UNITS. The greatest number is made up of units.
1689. UNKNOWN. Unknown, unmissed.
1690. UNMINDED. Unminded, unmoaned.
1691. UNTAUGHT. Better untaught than ill-taught.
1692. USE. Use is second nature.
1693. USE. Use the means, and God will give the blessing.
1694. UTILITY. Utility is preferable to grandeur.
V
1695. VALENTINE'S DAY.
On Valentine's day will a good goose lay, If she be a good goose, her dame well to pay, She will lay two eggs before Valentine's day.
1696. VALLEY. He who stays in the valley will never get over the hill.
1697. VALOUR. Valour can do little without discretion.
1698. VALOUR. Valour that parleys is near yielding.
1699. VENTURE. Nothing venture nothing win.
1700. VENTURE. Venture a small fish to catch a great one.
1701. VENTURE. Venture not all in one ship.
1702. VERY LAST. Fools think themselves wise to the very last.
1703. VICAR OF BRAY. The vicar of Bray will be vicar of Bray still.
1704. VICE. Vice is nourished by being concealed.
1705. VINE. Make the vine poor, and it will make you rich.
1706. VINEGAR. The sweetest wine makes the sharpest vinegar.
1707. VIRTUES. Search others for their virtues, thyself for their faults.
1708. VOWS. Vows made in storms are forgotten in calms.
W
1709. WAGER. A wager is a fool's argument.
1710. WAGES. He who serves well need not be afraid to ask his wages.
1711. WAITS. He that waits on another man's trencher, makes many a late dinner.
1712. WANT. The worth of a thing is best known by the want of it.
1713. WANT OF. 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.
1714. WAR. War, hunting, and law, are as full of trouble as pleasure.
1715. WAR. War is death's feast.
1716. WAR. Who preacheth war is the devil's chaplain.
1717. WAR (GOOD). He that makes a good war makes a good peace.
1718. WARES (GOOD). Good wares make quick markets.
1719. WARM. He that is warm thinks all are so.
1720. WARM. He is wise enough that can keep himself warm in winter.
1721. WARM.
The head and feet kept warm, The rest will take no harm.
1722. WASHING. There's no washing the blackamore white.
1723. WASTE. Waste not, want not.
1724. WASTE. Wilful waste makes woeful want.
1725. WATCH. Good watch prevents misfortune.
1726. WATCH. You may be a wise man though you cannot make a watch.
1727. WATCHED POT. A watched pot never boils.
1728. WATER. Water bewitched.
1729. WATER. We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.
1730. WAX. He that hath a head of wax must not walk in the sun.
1731. WAY. Where there's a will there's a way.
1732. WAYS (MORE). There are more ways to kill a dog than hanging.
1733. WAYS. To him that wills ways are not wanting.
1734. WEAKEST. Let the weakest go to the wall.
1735. WEAKEST. Where it is weakest there the thread breaketh.
1736. WEALTH. Their folly pleads the privilege of wealth.
1737. WEARER. The wearer best knows where the shoe pinches.
1738. WEARING. Everything is the worse for wearing.
1739. WEARS. Constant dropping wears the stone.
1740. WEATHER. 'Tis pity fair weather should do any harm.
1741. WEATHER (CHANGE). Any flat can talk of change of weather.
1742. WEDDING. Wedding and ill-wintering tame both man and beast.
1743. WEDLOCK. Wedlock is a padlock.
1744. WEDS. Who weds ere he be wise shall die ere he thrive.
1745. WEEP. As great a pity to see a woman weep, as to see a goose go barefoot.
1746. WELCOME. As welcome as the flowers in May.
1747. WELCOME. "Welcome death," quoth the rat, when the trap fell down.
1748. WELCOME. Welcome is the best dish on the table.
1749. WELL. Let well alone.
1750. WELL. When the well is dug it is easy enough to pump.
1751. WELL-DOING. Be not weary of well-doing.
1752. WELL-ORDERED. All things are soon prepared in a well-ordered house.
1753. WELLS. Well-drawn wells give the sweetest water.
1754. WEPT. I wept when I was born, and every day shows why.
1755. WHET. A whet is no let [hindrance].
1756. WHISTLE. You may pay too dear for your whistle.
1757. WHY. There's ne'er a why, but there's a wherefore.
1758. WIDE. Wide will wear but narrow will tear.
1759. WIFE. Choose your wife on Saturday, and not on a Sunday.
1760. WIFE. He that goes far from home for a wife, either intends to cheat or will be cheated.
1761. WIFE. A man's best fortune or his worst is his wife.
1762. WIFE. There is one good wife in the country, and every man thinks he hath her.
1763. WIFE (GOOD). A good wife makes a good husband.
1764. WIFE (GOOD).
A good wife and health Are a man's best wealth.
1765. WIFE (GOOD).
Saith Solomon the wise A good wife's a prize.
1766. WIFE (NEWS). He that tells his wife news is but newly married.
1767. WILD OATS. Happy is he who hath sown his wild oats betimes.
1768. WILES. Wise men are not caught by wiles.
1769. WILFUL. If wilful will to water, wilful must be drowned.
1770. WILFUL MAN. A wilful man never wants woe.
1771. WILL. Take the will for the deed.
1772. WILL. They that cannot do as they will, must do as they can.
1773. WILL. Will without reason is blind.
1774. WILL NOT. If one will not, another will.
1775. WILL (READY). Where the will is ready, the feet are light.
1776. WILL (WAY). Where there's a will there's a way.
1777. WILLING HORSE. All lay load on the willing horse.
1778. WILLING MIND. Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.
1779. WILLOWS. Willows are weak, yet they bend other wood.
1780. WIN. Win first, lose last.
1781. WIND (NORTH).
When the wind's in the north You need not go forth [_to fish_].
1782. WIND (EAST).
When the wind's in the east The fish will bite least.
1783. WIND (SOUTH).
When the wind's in the south The bait goes in their mouth.
1784. WIND (WEST).
When the wind's in the west The fish will bite best.
1785. WIND.
Where the wind is on Candlemas Day There it will stick to the end of May.
1786. WIND (EAST).
When the wind is in the east, 'Tis neither good for man nor beast.
1787. WIND (ILL). It's an ill wind that blows nobody good.
1788. WIND (SOUTH).
When the wind's in the south It's in the rain's mouth.
1789. WIND (STILL).
No weather is ill If the wind be still.
1790. WINDFALLS. None ever yet got fat on windfalls.
1791. WINDMILL. You cannot drive a windmill with a pair of bellows.
1792. WINE. More have been drowned in wine than water.
1793. WINE. When wine sinks, words swim.
1794. WINE. Wine is the master's, but the goodness is the drawer's.
1795. WINE (GOOD). Good wine needs no bush.
1796. WINE (IN). When wine is in, wit is out.
1797. WINE (TURNCOAT). Wine is a turncoat, first a friend, then an enemy.
1798. WINK. Wink at small faults.
1799. WINK. A wink's as good as a nod to a blind horse.
1800. WINTER (GOOD). A good winter brings a good summer.
1801. WINTER. Winter finds out what summer lays up.
1802. WISDOM. By wisdom peace, by peace plenty.
1803. WISDOM. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
1804. WISDOM. Wisdom rides upon the ruins of folly.
1805. WISE. Better wise than wealthy.
1806. WISE MEN. Wise men care not for what they cannot have.
1807. WISHES. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
1808. WISHES. If wishes were thrushes, beggars would eat birds.
1809. WISHES. If wishes would bide, beggars would ride.
1810. WISHES. If wishes were butter-cakes, beggars would bite.
1811. WIT. Wit is the lightning of the mind.
1812. WIT. Wit bought is twice taught.
1813. WIT. You may truss up all his wit in an egg-shell.
1814. WIT. Wit ill applied is a dangerous weapon.
1815. WIT. Wit is folly, unless a wise man hath the keeping of it.
1816. WIT. Wit may be bought too dear.
1817. WITS. He that lives upon his wits, breaks for want of stock.
1818. WIVE. A man cannot both wive and thrive in a year.
1819. WOE. Woe follows wickedness.
1820. WOLF. He had enough to keep the wolf from the door.
1821. WOLVES. Wolves lose their teeth, but not their memory.
1822. WOMAN'S STRENGTH. A woman's strength is in her tongue.
1823. WOMAN'S WORK. A woman's work is never at an end.
1824. WOMEN. Discreet women have neither eyes nor ears.
1825. WOMEN (WILLS). Women must have their wills while they live, because they make none when they die.
1826. WONDER. A wonder lasts but nine days.
1827. WOO. To woo is a pleasure in young men, a fault in old.
1828. WOODCOCK. One woodcock does not make a winter.
1829. WOOING.
Happy is the wooing, That is not long a-doing.
1830. WOOL. Many go for wool and come back shorn.
1831. WOOL SELLERS. Wool sellers know wool buyers.
1832. WORD. An honest man's word is as good as his bond.
1833. WORDS.
A man of words and not of deeds, Is like a garden full of weeds.
1834. WORDS.
Words are but sands, 'Tis money buys lands.
1835. WORDS.
Sometimes words Wound more than swords.
1836. WORDS. Words are like weights, gravity gives them effect.
1837. WORDS. Words are for women, actions for men.
1838. WORDS AND BLOWS.
Words are but wind, But blows unkind.
1839. WORD (ENOUGH). A word is enough to the wise.
1840. WORDS (EVENING). Words spoken in an evening the wind carrieth away.
1841. WORDS (FAIR). Fair words butter no parsnips.
1842. WORDS (FAIR). Fair words will not keep a cat from starving.
1843. WORDS (FEW). Few words are best.
1844. WORDS (GOOD). Good words cool more than cold water.
1845. WORDS (GOOD). Good words fill not a sack.
1846. WORDS (MANY). Many words will not fill a bushel.
1847. WORDS (SOFT). Soft words hurt not the mouth.
1848. WORK. They that will not work in heat, must hunger in frost.
1849. WORKMEN (BAD). Bad workmen always complain of their tools.
1850. WORLD. One half of the world knows not how the other half lives.
1851. WORLD. The world is his who knows how to wait for it.
1852. WORLD. The world was never so dull but if one won't another will.
1853. WORLD. This world is nothing except it tend to the next.
1854. WORLD'S PULSE. There needs a long time to know the world's pulse.
1855. WORM. Tread on a worm and it will turn.
1856. WORST. When things get to the worst, they'll mend.
1857. WORST SPOKE. The worst spoke in the cart-wheel breaks first.
1858. WOULD.
"He that wolde not when he might, He shall not when he wold-a."
1859. WOUNDS. Wounds may heal, but not those made by ill words.
1860. WRANGLERS. Wranglers never want words.
1861. WRATH. A soft answer turneth away wrath.
1862. WRESTLE. He that is thrown would ever wrestle.
1863. WRETCH. He who maketh others wretched is himself a wretch, whether prince or peasant.
1864. WRONGS. Two wrongs will not make a right.
1865. WRONG SOW. To take the wrong sow by the ear.
Y
1866. YEAR. Say no ill of the year till it is passed.
1867. YEARS. Years know more than books.
1868. YES AND NO.
Between a woman's yes and no, There is not room for a pin to go.
1869. YORKSHIRE. Yorkshire fashion--every man pay his share.
1870. YOUNG. Old young, and old long.
1871. YOURSELF. Help yourself and your friends will like you.
1872. YOURSELF. If you want a thing done, do it yourself.
1873. YOUTH. A growing youth hath a wolf in his stomach.
1874. YOUTH.
If youth knew what age would crave. It would both get and save.
1875. YOUTH. Youth and white paper take any impression.
1876. YOUTH. Youth will have its swing.
1877. YULE. Yule is good on Yule even.
Z
1878. ZEAL. Zeal without knowledge is fire without light.
1879. ZEAL. Zeal without knowledge is frenzy.
1880. ZEAL. Zeal without knowledge is the sister of folly.
INDEX
OF PRINCIPAL WORDS.
_The Subject Words of the Dictionary are not repeated here._
_Word_ _No._
A
Ability--gentility 668
Abroad--beef 460
Abundance--money 1099
Accuser 735
Acorn--October 1167
Acquittance 614
Acquaintances 571
Actions 1282
Actions for men 1837
Advantage 628
Adversity--friends 645
Adversity tries 1301
Affairs--others 1305
Affairs of men 1616
Afraid--cowardice 342
Afternoon--fair 1104
Age--rueful 1342
Age--save 1390
Age--youth 1874
Agrees worse 1302
Air--castles 206
Alloy--joy 874
Almanacks 330
Alone--better 54
Amends--angry 32
Angry man 827
Another's table 1577
Answer--fool 603
Appetite 475
Apple--rotten 1372
April--rainy 1052
Architect 625
Argument--fact 528
Argument--wager 1709
Arm--bone in 143
Armour--hog 790
Ash 454
Asleep--sorrow 1475
Ass--head 765
Ass--mere 1403
Ass-ride 1361
Autumn 48
B
Bachelors 1039
Back--the 169
Bacon--father's 241
Bad clothes--truth 1673
Bad company 84
Bad excuse 516
Bad sack 1378
Baggage--riches 1360
Bait--fishes' mouth 589
Bait--wind 1783
Bake--brew 164
Bankrupt--beggar 95
Bare--spare 1483
Barefoot 392
Bargain--bad 113
Bark at--thieves 1594
Barks--old dog 1175
Barley--St. David's 1382
Barrel--knock 798
Bartholomew--St. 420
Basket--one 478
Bat--blind 132
Battle--afraid 12
Battle--colours 291
Battle--hard 498
Beast--nature 1133
Beauty--fancy 546
Bed--early to 463
Bed--supperless 1562
Bed-fellows 796
Bed-fellows--poverty 1279
Beef--buys 86
Bees--turned 1679
Beg--poor 1358
Beggar--quarrel 1322
Beggars--bite 1810
Beggars--eat birds 1808
Beggars--ride 1809
Beggars--wishes 1807
Beggar's purse 1302
Beggary 837
Bellows--windmill 1791
Besom--sweep 1570
Best day--Wednesday 1094
Better--good 699
Bide--wishes 1809
Bill--bites 336