The_Concise_Oxford_dictionary_of_proverbs.pdf

ante (before)

Apr.

April

Aug. August

Authorized Version (of the Bible), 1611

circa (about)

cent. century

cf.

confer (compare)

COD Concise Oxford Dictionary

Dec.

December

Dict. dictionary (of)

Du.

Dutch

ed.

edition

EETS Early English Text Society

esp.

especially

et al. et alii (and others)

Feb.

February

Fr.

French

Ger.

German

Gr.

Greek

Hist. history (of), historical

Ibid.

ibidem (in the same place)

Ital.

Italian

Jan.

January

Latin

Mag. Magazine

Mar. March

mod. modern

MS(S) manuscript(s)

Nov. November

New York

Oct.

October

ODEP Oxford Dictionary of English Proverbs

OED Oxford English Dictionary

Pt.

part

quot. quotation

rev.

revised

Sept. September

Ser.

series

St.

Saint

STS

Scottish Text Society

tr.

translation (of)

United States (of America)

vol.

volume

see who SAYS A Must say B .

abhors

see NATURE abhors a vacuum .

a-borrowing

see he that GOES a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing .

abroad

see GO abroad and you'll hear news of home .

ABSENCE makes the heart grow fonder

Cf. PROPERTIUS Elegies II. xxxiii b . I. 43 semper in absentes felicior aestus amantes , passion [is]

always warmer towards absent lovers.

c 1850 in Isle of Beauty (rev. ed.) iii. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

1923 Observer 11 Feb. 9 These saws are constantly cutting one another's throats. How can you reconcile

the statement that ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder’ with ‘Out of sight, out of mind’?

1979 Rose in Darkness xi. ‘Oh, I couldn't go now!’ ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’

1985 Dick & Jane 119 ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’ ‘Some other organs, too. Like tha nose,’

Nick cracked.

1992 Rather English Marriage (1993) xi. 178 Absence may have made his heart grow fonder, but it

hasn't done wonders for mine.

absence ; love

He who is ABSENT is always in the wrong

Cf. Fr. les absents ont toujours tort ; c 1440 J. LYDGATE Fall of Princes (EETS) III. l. 3927 For princis

ofte .. Wil cachche a qu[a]rel .. Ageyn folk absent.

1640 Outlandish Proverbs no. 318 The absent partie is still faultie.

1710 Proverbs xxi. The absent party is always to blame.

1736 Poor Richard's Almanack (July) The absent are never without fault, nor the present without excuse.

1912 Unbearable Bassington iv. The absent may be always wrong, but they are seldom in a position to be

inconsiderate.

1981 Soldier no More 57 I will quote first that fine old French saying—which covers any claim Charlie

may or may not have on that cake—‘he who is absent is always in the wrong.’

absence ; error

absolute

see POWER corrupts .

abundance

see out of the FULLNESS of the heart the mouth speaks .

ACCIDENTS will happen (in the best-regulated families)

1763 Deuce is in Him 1.22 Accidents, accidents will happen—No less than seven brought into our

infirmary yesterday.

1819 ‘’ Hermit in America i. Accidents will happen in the best regulated families.

1850 David Copperfield xxviii. ‘Copperfield,’ said Mr. Micawber, ‘accidents will occur in the best-

regulated families; and in families not regulated by .. the influence of Woman, in the lofty character of

Wife, they must be expected with confidence, and must be borne with philosophy.’

1939 Christmas Holiday x. Accidents will happen in the best regulated families, and .. if you find you've

got anything the matter with you,.. go and see a doctor right away.

1979 Angels in your Beer xii. It would be so convenient if something happened to them … Accidents do

happen, as they say.

misfortune

There is no ACCOUNTING for tastes

It is impossible to explain why different people like different things (especially things that do not appeal

to the speaker). Also now in the form there is no accounting for taste . The saying is a version of the Latin

tag de gustibus non est disputandum , there is no disputing about tastes. Cf. 1599 J. MINSHEU Dialogues

in Spanish 6 Against ones liking there is no disputing.

1794 Mysteries of Udolpho I. xi. I have often thought the people he disapproved were much more

agreeable than those he admired;—but there is no accounting for tastes.

1889 Nether World II. viii. There is no accounting for tastes. Sidney .. not once .. congratulated himself

on his good fortune.

1974 Porterhouse Blue x. ‘He was in the grip of Mrs Biggs.’.. ‘No accounting for tastes,’ said the Dean.

1985 Doubting Thomas iv. ‘You're usually in here with a little guy, wears a rug. Looks like he gets his

suits from Sears. Paisley ties … There's no accounting for taste.’

idiosyncrasy ; taste

accumulate

see if you don't SPECULATE, you can't accumulate .

accuse

see he who EXCUSES, accuses himself .

accuser

see a GUILTY conscience needs no accuser .

acorn

see GREAT oaks from little acorns grow .

ACTIONS speak louder than words

First recorded in its current form in the United States.

1628 Speech 4 Apr. in Hansard Parliamentary Hist. England (1807) II. 274 ‘A word spoken in season

is like an Apple of Gold set in Pictures of Silver,’ and actions are more precious than words.

1736 Melancholy State of Province in Colonial Currency (1911) III. 137 Actions speak louder than

Words, and are more to be regarded.

1856 Works (1953) II. 352 ‘Actions speak louder than words’ is the maxim; and, if true, the South now

distinctly says to the North, ‘Give us the measures, and you take the men.’

1939 Dead Men sing no Songs xii. Deeds speak louder than words. First she tells you the most damning

things she can .., and then she begs you to believe he's innocent in spite of them?

1979 ‘’ Some die Eloquent xvii. ‘He's very sorry about it all.’.. ‘Actions speak louder than words.’

1995 Washington Times 21 May B3 Actions speak louder than words, especially when individual

property rights are at stake.

words and deeds

When ADAM delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?

The rhyme is particularly associated with the itinerant preacher John Ball, a leader of the 1381 ‘Peasants'

Revolt’, who used it to incite the people against their feudal lords.

c 1340 in Religious Pieces (EETS) 88 When Adam dalfe [dug] and Eue spane .. Whare was than the

pride of man?

1381 in & Index Middle English Verse (1943) 628 Whan adam delffid and eve span, Who was than a

gentilman?

1562 Aggeus & Abdias I. ii. When Adam dalve, and Eve span, Who was than a gentle man? Up start the

carle, and gathered good, And thereof came the gentle blood.

1874 Short Hist. English People v. A spirit fatal to the whole system of the Middle Ages breathed in the

popular rime which condensed the levelling doctrine of John Ball: ‘When Adam delved and Eve span,

who was then the gentleman?’

1918 Leaves in Wind 81 It is not only the humanising influence of the garden, it is the democratising

influence too. When Adam delved and Eve span, Where was then the gentleman?

1979 Fin-de-Siècle Vienna vi. When Adam delved and Eve span Who was then the gentleman? The

question had ironic relevance for the arrivé.

equality ; gentry

As good be an ADDLED egg as an idle bird

1578 Euphues I. 325 If I had not bene gathered from the tree in the budde, I should beeing blowne haue

proued a blast, and as good it is to bee an addle egge as an idle bird.

1732 Gnomologia no. 681 As good be an addled Egg, as an idle Bird.

1974 Ghost Writer iii. The chickens are feeling the heat, poor creatures. I'm afraid I gave them a bit of a

ticking off. As good be an addled egg, I told them, as an idle bird.

action and inaction ; idleness

ADVENTURES are to the adventurous

1844 Coningsby III. 1. 244 ‘I fear that the age of adventures is past.’ … ‘Adventures are to the

adventurous,’ said the stranger.

1914 ‘’ Beasts & Super-Beasts 264 Adventures, according to the proverb, are to the adventurous.

1952 ‘’ Mr Nicholas iv. He told himself that adventure was to the adventurous … If he could not make the

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