(Source: http://esl.fis.edu.htm)
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Be happy with what you have. (What you have is worth more than what you don't have.)
A cat may look at a king.
All people are equal.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.
If a part of something is weak, then the whole thing is weak.
A change is as good as a rest.
A good way to relax and avoid stress is to do something different or go somewhere different.
A drowning man will clutch at straws.
If you are in a hopeless situation, you will try anything to get out of it - even if your chances of success are very, very small.
To 'clutch' something is to take hold of it tightly.A fool and his money are soon parted.
If you are stupid you will never stay rich.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
People with problems expect their friends to help them.
A good conscience is a soft pillow.
You will sleep well if you have done no wrong.
A good word costs no more than a bad one.
It's as easy to praise someone as to criticize them.
A hedge between makes the friendship green.
If you want to stay friends with someone, it's good to be a little distance and some secrets from them.
A light purse makes a heavy heart.
If you are poor you will have worries and troubles.
A little labour, much health.
If you work and are busy, you will have a healthy life
A little learning is a dangerous thing.
People who know a little are often more dangerous than those who know nothing.
A little pot is soon hot.
Small people are quick to get angry or passionate.
A man is known by the company he keeps.
You will be judged by the people that you spend most of your time with.
In this proverb the word 'company' means 'people'.A miss is as good as a mile.
A miss is a miss. Failure is failure. (It doesn't make any difference whether you missed by a little or missed by a lot.)
A mouse may help a lion.
Even weak people can help strong people sometimes.
This proverb is based on one of Aesop's fables.A new broom sweeps clean.
A new boss (or a new method of doing something) clears away all the old problems.
A 'broom' is a brush with a long handle.A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse.
This proverb is used when you want to tell someone that you have understood what they just said or implied - they don't have to say any more.
A proverb comes not from nothing.
There is truth in proverbs.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
If you don't stay anywhere for very long, you will never be rich or have friends.
'moss' is the short, thick, green grass that grows on rocks in wet placesA stitch in time saves nine.
If you fix a problem when it first arises, you will save yourself a lot of trouble later.
A 'stitch' is what you make with a needle and thread in making or repairing clothes.A watched pot never boils.
Time passes more slowly for someone who is impatiently waiting for something to happen.
A word to the wise is enough.
You only need to say a little (one word) to an intelligent person; he or she will understand you.
Absence makes the heart grower fonder.
If you are apart from someone, you miss them and like them more.
If you are 'fond of' something, you like it.Accidents will happen.
You can do nothing to avoid accidents. Everyone has accidents.
Actions speak louder than words.
It's what you do that is important, not what you say.
After a storm comes a calm.
Things will get better.
All cats are grey in the dark.
Beauty is not important - everyone is the same inside.
All good things must come to an end.
Nothing lasts forever.
All roads lead to Rome.
There are many ways of doing something, but the end result will be the same.
All that glitters is not gold.
What looks good or valuable be in fact be worthless.
'To glitter' is to shine brightly.All that is sharp is short.
Bad luck doesn't last long.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
You will be a boring person if you only stop work.
'dull' means 'boring'All's fair in love and war.
There are no rules for love or war. (People will be ruthless in love and war.)
All's well that ends well.
It doesn't matter if you have problems early in a project. It's the end result that counts.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
You will not get sick if you regularly eat fruit.
Anger punishes itself.
If you are angry you will do something stupid that will only hurt yourself.
Another day, another dollar.
what??
Appearances are deceptive.
You can't judge the value of someone or something by what he/she/it looks like
Appetite comes with eating.
The more we have, the more we want.
Similar is: 'Much would have more.'Art is long, life is short.
Good art lasts more than a single lifetime. (It takes more than a lifetime to become skilled in painting, music etc.)
This proverb is often used in its Latin form: 'Ars longa, vita brevis.'As you make your bed, so shall you lie on it.
You are responsible for your own happiness (or unhappiness).
Similar is the proverb from the bible: 'As you sow, so shall you reap.'Ask no questions, hear no lies.
I'm not going to tell you the truth, so don't even bother asking me.
Bad news travels fast.
People are quick to pass on bad news.
Barking dogs seldom bite.
People who make many threats rarely carry out the threats.
Be cruel to be kind.
Sometimes it is necessary to treat someone severely for their own long-term benefit.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Everyone his their own idea of what is beautiful.
'To behold' is to look.Beggars can't be choosers.
If you are in need of something you cannot be too critical of the help you receive.
Better a lie that heals than a truth that wounds.
Sometimes the truth is too painful to be told.
Better be safe than sorry.
Don't take a risk. You may regret it.
Similar is: 'It's best to be on the safe side.'Better bend than break.
Do not insist on doing things your own way. Change a little in order to avoid failure.
Better known than trusted.
Be sure that you really know someone well before you put your trust in them.
Similar is: 'First try, then trust.'Better late than never.
It is better to do something late than not to do it at all.
Better the devil you know.
You may be having problems but changing something might make them worse.
This proverb is often heard as: Better the devil you know, than the devil you don't.Better to ask the way than go astray.
If you ask for advice or help, you won't make a mistake.
'To go astray' means to get lost or make a mistake.Better untaught than ill taught.
It's better not to teach something at all than to teach it badly.
Between two stools one falls to the ground.
If you cannot make up your mind, you will not succeed or achieve anything.
Birds of a feather flock together.
People like to be with people of the same interests and habits.
'Of a feather' means 'of the same species'. You will only very rarely see two different kinds of bird in one flock (group).Blood is thicker than water.
Our family is more important to us than any friend.
Blood will have blood.
People always want revenge.
Blue eyes, true eyes.
You can trust someone who has blue eyes.
Boys will be boys.
You must expect boys to do silly or risky things.
Cast not a clout till May be out.
Do not put away your winter clothing until the end of may - the weather may still turn cold again.
This proverb makes more sense in Scotland than California!Charity begins at home.
You should help your own family before helping other people.
Cheats never prosper.
Cheats never get rich or stay rich in the end.
'To prosper' is to do well, become rich.Children should be seen and not heard.
Children are good to look at but tiresome to listen to.
Christmas comes but once a year.
You cannot expect to get lucky more than once.
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Being clean is very important. (God will love you if you keep yourself and your house clean.)
Cold hands, warm heart.
People with cold hands are kind and loving.
Comparisons are odious.
Do not judge someone by comparing them with other people.
'Odious' means very badConfess and be hanged.
If you tell the truth, you will be punished for it.
Crime doesn't pay.
In the end every criminal gets his punishment.
Curiosity killed the cat.
It's risky or even dangerous to be too curious about something.
Cut your coat according to your cloth.
Do not spend money you don't have. Do not have expensive ambitions if you have only little money.
Discretion is the better part of valour.
It is better to be wisely cautious than foolishly brave.
'Discretion' means 'being careful'; 'valour' is 'bravery'.Divide and rule.
You can take advantage of the disagreement between two people and control both of them.
Most empires in history have been built up by following the precepts of this proverb.Do as you would be done by.
Treat others as you hope they will treat you.
Don't change horses in midstream.
If you have started something one way, do not change to a different way. This will only bring problems.
Don't count your chickens until they are hatched.
Don't make plans for the future before you are sure you will be able to do you intend. (You don't know what problems may arise.)
'To hatch' is to come out of an egg - you don't know if the chicken inside the egg is alive or not. (One of many alternatives is: Don't sell the skin until you have caught the bear.)Don't cross the bridge until you come to it.
There is no point in worrying now about things that might (or might not) happen in the future.
Don't cry over spilt milk.
Don't get upset about something that has happened. It's too late to change it.
'Spilt' can also be written 'spilled'. Similar is: 'It's too late to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted.' (To 'bolt' is to run away fast.)Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.
When getting your revenge on someone, be sure that you are not in fact making things worse for yourself.
Don't cut the bough you are standing on.
Don't do anything to take away the support you have or to cause yourself problems.
A 'bough' is a branch of a tree.Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
If someone is trying to give you something, don't find fault with it.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Don't risk all your money, hopes, etc. on one thing. (Have an alternative plan.)
Don't put the cart before the horse.
Don't get things mixed up or do them in the wrong order.
Don't take a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
If you have a small problem, be careful you don't solve it with very heavy methods. Doing so may make things worse.
Similar is: Take not a musket to kill a butterfly. (A 'sledgehammer' is a large, heavy hammer.)Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs.
Don't tell me what to do or how to do it - I know already!
Don't tell tales out of school.
Don't talk about other people.
Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Do not reject an idea or plan completely just because it has a small problem.
Don't wash your dirty linen in public.
Do not talk about family problems with outsiders.
'Linen' is clothes and sheets to be washed.Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy and wealthy and wise.
If you go to bed early you will be rich and clever and live a long life.
Early wed, early dead.
If you marry young, you will die young.
Easier said than done.
It's easier to say what you are going top do than to actually do it.
East, west, home is best.
Everyone likes best the place in which they grew up. (It's good to travel but we like being at home most of all.)
Similar is: 'Home is where the heart is.'Easy come, easy go.
It's as easy to make money as to lose it. If you make money easily, you are more likely to spend it quickly. (Don't worry too much about money.)
Eggs and oaths are easily broken.
You would do well not to believe promises because promises are easily broken.
An 'oath' is a solemn promise. Similar is: 'Promises are like pie-crust, made to be broken.'Empty vessels make the greatest sound.
People who talk a lot usually have nothing interesting or important to say.
Enough is as good as a feast.
There is no advantage in having more than you need.
A 'feast' is a large meal with rich and expensive food.Even a worm will turn.
Even the poorest and most defenceless will tolerate only a certain amount of abuse or contempt.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
There is something good in every bad situation. (Nothing is all bad.)
Every day of thy life is a leaf in thy history.
You are writing your own history book - one day after the next.
'Thy' is an old-fashioned word for 'your'. 'Leaf' here means 'page', as in page of a book.Every dog has his day.
Everyone has good luck at some time or other.
Every door may be shut but death's door.
Everyone will die.
Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard.
Every family has a dark secret.
Sometimes this proverb starts with 'everyone': 'Everyone has a skeleton in their cupboard.'Every little helps.
Even a little help is better than no help at all.
Every man for himself.
This proverb is often used in criticizing people who think only of themselves.
This proverb often is found with a conclusion: 'Every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost.'Every man has his price.
You can make anyone do something wrong if you pay them enough money.
Every man is his own worst enemy.
People are more likely to be wronged or harmed by themselves than by others.
Every picture tells a story.
Everything we see has an origin. We can work out the cause of every ??
Similar is: 'A picture says a thousand words.'Everything comes to him who waits.
If you are patient, you will get what you want.
Experience is the best teacher.
We learn best by doing things.
Faint heart never won fair lady.
If you want to have a good-looking girlfriend, you must be prepared take a risk.
'Faint' here means 'cowardly'; 'fair' is 'beautiful'.Familiarity breeds contempt.
When we know something (or someone) very well we start to take it for granted and then dislike it.
'Familiarity' means 'knowing something well'; 'breeds' means 'creates' or 'makes'; 'contempt' means strong dislike'.Finders keepers.
If you find something, you are entitled to keep it.
Fine feathers make fine birds.
It's important to dress well.
First things first.
Do things in their correct order. Be patient.
Similar is: You must learn to walk before you can run.Fish and guests smell in three days.
If you visit someone, do not stay too long.
Similar is: 'Do not wear out your welcome' or 'Do not outstay your welcome.'Fools are wise as long as silent.
If you keep quiet, people may think you are wise. As soon as you open your mouth, they will realize that you are not.
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe, the horse was lost. For want of a horse, the rider was lost.
Pay attention to small details. They can be very important - and even save a life.
In this case 'shoe' means 'horseshoe'.Forbidden fruit is sweet.
We always want most what we cannot have.
Forewarned is forearmed.
If you know what is going to happen, you can prepare yourself for it.
'Armed' in this case means 'having weapons'.Forgive and forget.
Forgive and then forget about the wrong that has been done to you. (Do not seek revenge. Do not hold a grudge.)
Fortune favours the bold.
If you are brave, you will have good luck.
'Fortune' is 'good luck'; 'bold' is brave'.Fortune is blind.
There is no predicting who is going to have good luck and who bad.
Similar is: 'Fortune is fickle.'Fortune is made of glass.
Do not expect good luck to last for ever.
From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step.
It is very easy to go from being wonderful to being stupid.
Give a dog a bad name and hang him.
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Give credit where credit is due.
If someone has done something well, acknowledge this - even if you don't like them.
In this proverb, 'credit' means something like 'praise'. Similar is: 'Give the devil his due.'Give someone an inch and they'll take a yard.
If you are give to someone, they will abuse your kindness by wanting more and more.
There are variations in the measurements used in this proverb: 'mile' instead of 'yard', etc.Go to law for a sheep and lose your cow.
It is very expensive to take your complaints to the law courts. You will probably lose more money than you win.
Good fences make good neighbours.
It's a good idea not to be too friendly with your neighbour.
Good is the enemy of the best.
Being satisfied with something that is good prevents us from achieving something that is even better.
Great boast, small roast.
The more you say how good you are, the less you have to be proud of.
'Roast' is the word for the large piece of meat usually eaten on a Sunday.Great minds think alike.
Great people have the same opinions.
This proverb is often said in joke when someone agrees with you.Great oaks from little acorns grow.
Even the greatest of things started out small.
An 'acorn' is the seed from which an oak tree grows.Half a loaf is better than no bread.
Even a little is better than nothing.
Handsome is as handsome does.
It's not what you look like that is important; it's what you do.
Haste makes waste.
If you work too hurriedly, you will spoil your materials and have to get or buy new ones.
He can who believes he can.
If you believe you can do something, you will be able to do it.
Similar is: "Faith can move mountains."He that fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.
If you run away from a fight, you have the chance to fight again. If you don't run away from a fight, you may end up dead!
He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing.
If you borrow from others you will bring unhappiness upon yourself.
'Sorrow' is unhappiness.He that has no children brings them up well.
It is easy to give advice when you are not suffering from the problem yourself. (It is easy to tell other people how they should raise their children when you have none yourself.)
He that travels far, knows much.
You can learn a lot by travelling the world.
The opposite is: 'Send a fool to France and he'll come back a fool.'He that wants health wants all.
To be healthy is the most important thing in life.
He that would have the fruit must climb the tree.
If you want something, you must work for it.
He who hesitates is lost.
You must act quickly and decisively or you will fail.
He who laughs last laughs longest.
Don't be too quick to laugh at someone; they may soon be laughing at you.
An alternative is: He laughs best who laughs last.He who pays the piper calls the tune.
The person paying for a job has the right to say how and when it should be done.
He who would wish to thrive must let spiders run alive.
If you want to have a happy and healthy life, do not kill spiders.
Health and wealth create beauty.
It's easy to look good if you are healthy and rich.
Health is not valued until sickness comes.
We don't realize how important health is until we become sick.
Honesty is the best policy.
You will not have problems if you always tell the truth.
Honey catches more flies than vinegar.
You will achieve more by being kind than by being sharp and critical.
'Vinegar' is a sharp-tasting liquid used to marinate food.Hope springs eternal.
People never give up hope.
Similar is: 'While there's life, there's hope.'Hunger breaks stone walls.
The hungry will do anything to get food.
Hunger is the best sauce.
Everything tastes good when you are hungry.
If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well.
If you are going to do something, do it properly or don't do it at all.
If ifs and ans were pots and pans, there'd be no trade for tinkers.
It's human nature to wish things were different from how they are. (We all have dreams, but few of them come true.)
In the old days, a 'tinker' was someone who made or repaired metal pots and pans.If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch.
Do not follow or believe anyone who is equally as ignorant as you.
This proverb is from the bible.If the cap fits, wear it.
You must accept criticism if criticism is justified.
If you don't like the heat, get out of the kitchen.
If you can't tolerate pressure, don't take a stressful job.
If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.
If you associate with bad people, you will turn bad yourself.
'Fleas' are the small insects that live in the fur of animals like cats and dogs.If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
Do not expect good workers if you pay them only a little money.
If you play with fire you get burned.
If you do something risky, you must expect to get hurt.
If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.
Do not rely on other people to do something for you. You yourself can do it best.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
The greatest compliment that you can pay to someone is to copy their habits and lifestyle.
In for a penny, in for a pound.
If you start something, you must be prepared to finish it, even though it may be difficult or even dangerous.
In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
Even moderately clever people will seem very intelligent if they are surrounded only by fools.
It never rains but it pours.
Bad luck never comes alone. Bad things always happen together at the same time.
It takes all sorts.
Everyone is different.
Often this proverb is heard as: 'It takes all sorts to make the world.'It's a small world.
This proverb is usually said when, by chance, we meet someone we know far away from home.
It's better to be born lucky than rich.
It's better to be born lucky than rich.
It's better to travel hopefully than to arrive.
The anticipation of an event is often better than the event itself. (For example, looking forward to Christmas is often better than the day itself.)
Jack of all trades, master of none.
If you try to do many different things, you will never do any of them very well.
Keep something for a rainy day.
You need to save money now. You never know what problems or money needs are around the corner.
This is often heard as 'Save for a rainy day.'Knowledge is power.
If you know a lot, you will be in a strong position to achieve your aims.
Laughter is the best medicine.
If you are feeling unwell, laugh. You will then feel better. (The best way to react to problems is to laugh at them.)
Lean liberty is better than fat slavery.
It's better to be poor and free than rich but dependent.
'Lean' here means 'thin'.Least said, soonest mended.
If you don't say very much, you will not give insult, and so not have to apologize.
Leave no stone unturned.
To achieve your aim you should try everything or consider every possibility.
Lend only that which you can afford to lose.
If you lend something, you will probably not get it back.
Similar is: 'He that lends, gives.'Let sleeping dogs lie.
Do not do anything to make unnecessary trouble.
Liberty is not licence.
Being a free person does not mean you are free to do whatever you want.
'Licence' is permission; e.g., a driving licence, fishing licence, etc.Life is like a candle in the wind.
Life is fragile and can be lost in a moment.
Life is sweet.
It's good to be alive.
Similar is: 'Life is just a bowl of cherries.'Life means strife.
No person can live without problems or unpleasantness.
Lightning never strikes twice.
You can be very lucky (or unlucky) once, but it won't happen to you again.
Also possible is: 'Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.'Like cures like.
The best medicine for a disease is often a little of what caused it. (For example, a little alcohol in the morning is said to cure a hangover.)
Like father, like son.
Children like the same things and behave in the same way as their parents.
An alternative is: "The apple never falls far from the tree."Little strokes fell great oaks.
You can succeed in even the most difficult tasks, if you do it step by step, little by little.
Similar is: 'Constant dripping wears away the stone.'Little things please little minds.
People of low intelligence or ambition are easily satisfied with trivial pleasures.
Live and let live.
Live your own life; be tolerant of others.
Living well is the best revenge.
If someone has done you wrong or harm, the best way to have your revenge is to be happy and successful.
Look after number one.
Take care of yourself. Don't worry about others.
Look before you leap.
Be careful before you do something. Think first about the consequences.
'leap' means 'jump'Love is blind.
If you are in love with someone, you think they are perfect. You do not see their faults.
Love makes the world go round.
Without love the world would be a terrible place.
Love me, love my dog.
If you want to love me, then you must love those who are close to me (and all my habits.)
Love will find a way.
If you are in love with someone, you will do everything for them (or to get to them).
Lucky at cards, unlucky in love.
Lucky at cards, unlucky in love.
Make hay while the sun shines.
Do something while you have the opportunity. If you wait, it may be too late.
Man cannot live on bread alone.
There is more to a good life than simply not being hungry.
This proverb comes from the bible.Many a true word is spoken in jest.
@
Many hands make light work.
A job is done more quickly and easily if many people help.
Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
If you marry too quickly, you will spend the rest of your life regretting it.
Might is right.
People in power are always right - even when they are wrong!
Mind your own business.
Do not interfere in other people's affairs.
Misery loves company.
It is easier to bear being unhappy when we know that others are unhappy too.
Similar is: 'Two in distress make sorrow less.'Money is the root of all evil.
Money is the cause of all the problems in the world.
Money talks.
If you are rich, you will have power and influence.
More haste, less speed.
If you do things in a hurry, you will make mistakes and have to start again. In the end this will make you slower.
'haste' means 'hurry'Much coin, much care.
People with a lot of money have a lot of worries.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
When people need something badly enough, they will be creative enough to make it or find it.
Neither a lender nor a borrower be.
You will have problems and regret it, both if you lend money and if you borrow money.
Never cry wolf.
Do not say there is danger or a problem when there isn't.
This proverb comes from the story of the shepherd boy who, for amusement, twice ran into his village shouting that a wolf was attacking the sheep. On the third occasion, when a wolf really was eating the sheep, none of the villagers believed his story.Never do things by halves.
If you are going to do something, put your heart into it.
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
Do not procrastinate!
Never say die.
Do not give up. Keep trying.
Similar is: 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again.'Never speak ill of the dead.
Do not say bad things about someone who has died.
Ninety percent of inspiration is perspiration.
All good ideas (and inventions) are based on a lot of hard work.
'Perspiration' is sweat. You sweat when you work hard.No news is good news.
If we hear nothing from someone who has gone away, we can assume that everything is ok.
No pain, no gain.
If you don't work hard at something (and maybe suffer a little), you will never achieve very much.
No rose without a thorn.
Nothing is perfect.
Similar is: 'No garden without its weeds.'Nothing dries sooner than tears.
We soon forget or recover from past unhappiness.
Nothing is given so freely as advice.
People like telling other people what they should do or how they should do it.
Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.
If you want something badly enough, you will (work to) achieve it.
Nothing seek, nothing find.
If you are not ambitious you will not be rich or successful.
'seek' means 'look for'Nothing so bad but it might have been worse.
You may have had a hard time, but it could have been even worse.
Nothing succeeds like success.
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Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
You will never achieve any success, if you do not at least try.
'To venture' is to 'try'.Old habits die hard.
When we are in the habit of doing something, it is very difficult to stop it.
Once bitten, twice shy.
If you have had a bad experience doing something, you will not try to do it again.
Alternatively: 'The burnt child dreads the fire.'One cannot love and be wise.
Being in love makes people do foolish things.
One good turn deserves another.
If someone helps you, you should be ready to help them.
In this proverb 'turn' means 'deed' or 'action'.One hour's sleep before midnight is worth two after.
You should go to bed early.
One lie makes many.
Once you start lying, it's difficult to stop.
A related proverb is: 'A liar should have a good memory.'One man's meat is another man's poison.
People have different tastes: in clothes, music, hobbies, etc.
A proverb with a similar meaning is: 'There's no accounting for tastes.'One rotten apple spoils the whole bunch.
One person alone can have a bad influence on everyone around him or her.
One swallow does not make a summer.
Do not form a judgement about something or someone on the basis of a single piece of evidence.
Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
You will probably not get a second chance, so take the first one.
Out of sight, out of mind.
When we are apart from someone, we don't think about them or miss them.
There is a similar proverb: "Far from eye, far from heart."Penny and penny laid up will be many.
If you save money regularly - even very small amounts - you will one day be rich.
Here 'laid up' means 'saved'. Similar are: 'Little and often fills the purse,' and 'Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves.'Penny wise, pound foolish.
This is said of someone who watches every penny they spend
People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Do not criticise others unless you are perfect yourself.
Perfect is the enemy of the good.
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Pigs might fly.
This is said to someone who has an impossible dream or wish.
A continuation of this proverb is: '.. If they had wings.'Poverty is not a crime.
Poverty is not the fault of the poor person, and nothing to be ashamed of.
Practice makes perfect.
If you want to do something very well, then you will need to practise and practise.
Practise what you preach.
You should do as you say. (Do not tell others how to behave but ignore the advice for yourself.)
Prevention is better than cure.
It's better to prevent something bad happening than to try and put it right afterwards.
Pride comes before a fall.
The moment that you start feeling very pleased with yourself is the moment that things start to go bad.
An alternative is: 'Pride goes before a fall.'Rats desert a sinking ship.
You cannot expect someone to stay loyal to you if you are having problems.
Revenge is a dish that can be eaten cold.
You may have to wait a long time to have your revenge on someone, but it will still be worth having.
Rome was not built in a day.
If you are engaged in a large project, you must be patient. You cannot expect to finish it quickly.
Similar is: 'An oak is not felled at one stroke.'Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
If you help me, I'll help you.
Seeing is believing.
People often don't believe something until they have seen it for themselves.
Share and share alike.
Share equally and fairly.
Silence is golden.
It is a very good thing to keep quiet.
Similar is: 'A close mouth catches no flies.'Slow but sure wins the race.
If you do something slowly but steadily you will finish before someone who is quicker but keeps stopping. (Think of the race between the hare and the tortoise.)
Small is beautiful.
Little things can be beautiful and valuable.
Similar is: 'The best things come in small packages.'Solitude is often the best society.
It is good to be alone sometimes.
Similar is: 'Better be alone than in bad company.'Soon hot, soon cold.
Passion that is quickly aroused dies as quickly.
Soon learnt, soon forgotten.
If you can learn something quickly and easily, it's not worth knowing and will soon be forgotten.
Spare the rod and spoil the child.
Children need strict discipline in order to grow into good people.
A 'rod' is a stick used to hit children. 'Spare' in this proverb means 'not use'.Still waters run deep.
Quiet people also have strong feelings or intelligent ideas.
Strike while the iron is hot.
Do something while the chance is there. If you wait, you may be too late.
The best advice is found on the pillow.
You have a better chance of solving a problem if you think about it again after a good night's sleep.
a 'pillow' is where you lay your head in bed at nightThe best doctors are Dr. Diet, Dr. Quiet and Dr. Merryman.
If you want to get or stay healthy, you need to eat well, live peacefully and be cheerful.
'Merry' means happy as in 'Merry Christmas'.The best mirror is an old friend.
You can rely on good friends to tell you the truth about yourself.
The best of men are but men at best.
Even great people are only human.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
When successful people fail, their fall or failure is greater than that of 'ordinary' people.
Similar is: 'The highest tree has the greatest fall.'The bread never falls but on its buttered side.
Expect things to turn out badly.
The darkest hour is that before the dawn.
Just when your situation seems as black as it can be is when things start to get better.
'Dawn' is the start of the day, just as it gets light.The dead are always wrong.
It's easy to criticize someone who is dead. They cannot defend themselves.
The devil dances in an empty pocket.
People with no money are more likely to commit a crime.
Similar is: 'Poverty is the mother of crime.'The devil finds work for idle hands to do.
If you are bored, you are more likely to do something foolish or criminal.
'Idle' means 'bored, lazy'.The devil looks after his own.
This is said when someone you don't like has good luck.
The early bird catches the worm.
If you do something before others you will be rewarded.
The exception proves the rule.
This proverb is usually said on encountering something that is unusual, i.e. an exception to the usual rules.
Strictly, the word 'proves' in this proverb means 'challenges' or 'tests'.The eye is bigger than the stomach.
People always think they can eat more than they in fact can - particularly if the food looks or smells good.
The first blow is half the battle.
Getting started on something is the most important step in getting it done.
In this proverb 'blow' means 'strike' or 'hit'.The fish begins to stink from the head.
If there is corruption in an organization, it usually starts at the top with the bosses.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill.
People are never satisfied with what they have. (They think other people have more things or a better life than them.)
This proverb is sometimes heard as: 'The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.'The hand that gives, gathers.
If you give to others who are in need, you will benefit yourself.
The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
Mothers are the most important people in the world.
A 'cradle' is a baby's bed.The last straw breaks the camel's back.
It takes only a small, last thing to break the endurance of someone who has suffered much for a long time.
An alternative is: 'The last drop makes the cup run over.'The law is an ass.
There are many laws that are stupid.
'Ass' means 'donkey'.The leopard cannot change its spots.
People act according to their character. (Usually said of 'bad' people acting badly.)
A leopard is a big cat that kills other animals.The longest night will have an end.
Even the worst of problems come to an end at last.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
You can influence people and history more by writing than by fighting.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
You don't know how good something is until you have tried it.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
A good intention is not enough. You must make sure that your action does not harm others
The squeaking wheel gets the grease.
People who complain get attention. People who don't complain, get none.
'Grease' is oil.The sun shines upon all alike.
Everyone is born equal and has equal rights.
The weaker goes to the pot.
If you are weak, you are in danger of not being wanted or of being sacrificed.
This proverb is based on the fact that weaker animals were more likely to be killed and eaten than strong ones. A similar proverb is: 'The weakest goes to the wall,' i.e., will be shot.There are plenty of fish in the sea.
There are many women or men who you could marry (so forget about the one who has just left you.)
There are two sides to every question.
Everyone has their own opinion. Nothing is completely black or white.
Similar is: 'Every medal has its reverse.'There is a time to speak and a time to be silent.
Sometimes the best thing is to say nothing.
There is honour among thieves.
Thieves do not betray each other.
There is nothing new under the sun.
Everything has already been thought or said before.
There is truth in wine.
When we drink we tell the truth (even if we don't intend to).
This proverb is often used in its Latin form: 'in vino veritas'There's a black sheep in every flock.
In every family there is someone who is a bad or unpleasant person.
Sheep are found together in a 'flock'.There's a thin line between love and hate.
Love can easily turn to hate. (It's easier to hate someone we have first loved.)
Similar is: 'Love and hate are blood relations.'There's no fool like an old fool.
Stupid people get even more stupid as they grow older.
There's no smoke without fire.
There's usually a bit of truth in every rumour.
There's one law for the rich, and another for the poor.
If you are rich you can get away with breaking the law.
There's safety in numbers.
You are more secure if you are one of a crowd.
A small fish is safer in a shoal of a million fish than swimming alone.Third time lucky.
This proverb expresses the superstition that we will have success on our third attempt at something.
Time and tide wait for no man.
You cannot stop time.
The 'tide' is the coming in and going out of water on the beach.Time cures all ills.
All pain will disappear if you wait long enough.
Similar is: 'Time is the great healer.'Time flies.
You cannot stop time. Time seems to go by very quickly.
The Latin equivalent is: 'Tempus fugit.' Similar is: 'Time has wings.'Time is money.
The longer it takes to do something, the more costly it will be.
Time puts an end to love.
All love dies in the end.
Time will tell.
It's too soon to know. We will have to wait for an answer.
To err is human.
Everyone makes mistakes.
'To err' means to make a mistake; cf. 'error'.Tomorrow is another day.
Maybe things will not be so bad tomorrow.
Tomorrow never comes.
Don't wait until tomorrow. Do it today.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
If too many people are working on one job they will get in each other's way, and the result will be bad.
'broth' is 'soup'Touch wood; it's sure to come good.
This proverb expresses the superstition that we will not bring bad luck on ourselves from what we say, if we touch a piece of wood.
The first two words of this proverb are used very often in spoken English. For example, someone might say: "I haven't been sick for ages - touch wood," and look for something wooden to touch. Often they will touch their head as a joke.Truth will out.
You cannot hide the truth for ever.
Turn the other cheek.
Accept the wrong that is done to you. Do not try to take revenge.
This proverb is from the bible.Two heads are better than one.
If you are trying to solve a problem, it's good to have someone to help you.
Two wrongs don't make a right.
If someone has done some bad or wrong to you, this does not mean that you should do something bad or wrong to him.
An alternative is: Two blacks do not make a white.United we stand, divided we fall.
We can only survive if we work together.
Use it or lose it.
If you don't use or practise something, you will lose your capability to do so.
Similar is: 'Use legs and have legs.'Variety is the spice of life.
To make our lives interesting and worth living we need to do lots of different things.
Virtue is its own reward.
If you are good, you will feel good.
'Virtue' is goodness.Walls have ears.
You can expect anything you say to someone to be passed on to someone else.
Waste not, want not.
If you do not waste money, you will never be poor.
Wedlock is a padlock.
Married people have no freedom.
A 'padlock' is what you use to secure your bike from thieves.Well begun is half done.
If you make a good start on something, then you have taken the most important step to finishing it.
What will be, will be.
You cannot avoid fate or change the way that things are
Also possible is: 'What must be, must be.'What you don't know can't hurt you.
Ignorance protects.
Similar is: 'What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over.'What you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts.
There are as many advantages as disadvantages in a situation.
'Swings' and 'roundabouts' are constructions on a children's playground.What's done is done.
You cannot change what has already happened. You cannot put back the clock.
What's in a name?
Names are not important; character is.
This proverb is from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Treat everyone the same. Do not favour one person over another.
A 'gander' is a male goose.When in Rome do as Romans do.
If you go to a foreign place, you must behave in the same way as the local people do.
When one door shuts, another opens.
You'll get a second chance.
When the cat's away the mice will play.
If the boss or the teacher is not there, the employees or the students will play around instead of working.
Who comes uncalled, sits unserved.
If you visit someone unannounced, do not expect to receive food.
Why keep a dog and bark yourself?
If you employ others, get them to work for you. Why work yourself?
Will is no skill.
It's not enough to want to do something, you have to be able to do it.
Words cut more than swords.
Words can hurt people more than weapons.
The opposite is: 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me.'Words have wings and cannot be recalled.
You cannot 'unsay' what you have just said.
You a lady, I a lady. Who will milk the cow?
The world needs workers. Not everyone can be upper-class, rich or idle.
You can have too much of a good thing.
Good can turn to bad if you have or do too much of it.
Some people claim that you can't have too much of a good thing!You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
You cannot make someone do what they don't want to do.
You can't get blood out of a stone.
You can't do the impossible. (You cannot get money from someone who has none.)
Similar is: 'You can't get a quart into a pint pot.' (A quart pot holds twice as much as a pint pot.)You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.
To achieve success you have to make difficult decisions (and possibly hurt yourself or others.)
This proverb is often used to encourage people to act who are too concerned of the feelings of others.You can't make bricks without straw.
You can't make nothing from nothing.
You can't please everyone.
People have different tastes and opinions, so you should not expect to please them all all of the time.
The meaning of this proverb is expressed also in the much longer: 'You can please all of the people some of the time and you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.'You can't take it with you when you die.
Spend your money now. It's no use to you when you are dead.
Similar, but much less common is: 'Shrouds have no pockets.' 'Shrouds are the clothes put on dead people.'You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
When people get old they cannot and do not want to change or learn new things.
You can't tell a book by its cover.
You can't judge the value of someone or something by what he/she/it looks like
You can't win them all.
You cannot expect to always be successful.
Similar is: 'Win some, lose some.'You cannot have your cake and eat it.
You cannot have everything. You have to make a choice.
This proverb is perhaps better understood: "You cannot eat your cake and still have your cake."You cannot lose what you never had.
You cannot lose what you never had.
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
If someone or something is bad, you will not be able to change them. They will give no pleasure or benefit.
A 'sow' is a pig.You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair.
You cannot have a life without sadness, but you don't have to wallow in sadness.
This is a Chinese proverb, but your webmaster likes it so much that he included it in this collection!You cannot put an old head on young shoulders.
Do not expect young people to behave wisely.
You cannot put back the clock.
Once something has happened, you cannot change it. You cannot go back and live in the past.
You cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
You cannot be both for and against something. (You cannot be loyal to two masters.)
Youth and age will never agree.
Expect that the young and the old will have different opinions about things.
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