english proverbs a-z

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English Proverbs & Sayings

Alphabetical List - A

(page 1 : a bad excuse → a hungry wolf)

A bad excuse is better than none. Always give an excuse, even if it's apoor one.

A bad penny always turns up. An unwanted or disreputable personconstantly coes bac!.

A bad tree does not yield good apples. A bad parent does not raise goodchildren.

A bad workman blames his tools. "laing the tools for badwor!anship is an excuse for lac! ofs!ill.

A barking dog seldom bites. #oeone who constantly a!esthreats rarely carries the out.

A bird in hand is worth two ina bush.

$t is better to !eep what you haverather than to ris! losing it bysearching for soething better.

A black plum is as sweet as a white. %eople should not be &udged by theirappearance.

A book holds a house of gold. here is a wealth of !nowledge inboo!s.

A broken friendship may be soldered butwill never be sound.

riendships can be rebuilt after adispute but will never be as strong asbefore.

A burden of one's own choice is not felt. #oething difficult sees easierwhen it is done voluntarily.

A burnt child dreads the fire. A bad experience will a!e peoplestay away fro certain things.

A calm sea does not make a skilledsailor.

A person shows their copetence orability when difficulties arise.

A cat has nine lives. 1) ats can survive any accidentsbecause they land on their feetwithout in&ury.*) +ine lives - years to play, - yearsto stray, - years to stay.

A chain is no stronger than its weakestlink.

he strength of a group depends oneach individual eber.

A change is as good as a rest. A change in routine is often asrefreshing as a brea! or a holiday.



A constant guest is never welcome. $f you coe to visit too often, yourhost will be less pleased to see you.

A danger foreseen is half avoided. $f you are prepared to face a probleor difficulty, it will be easier to deal

with.A day of sorrow is longer than a monthof joy.

ies goes by very uic!ly when youare happyand very slowly when you are sad.

A drop of ink may make a million think. A thought expressed in writing(perhaps published in a newspaper)can influence a large nuber ofpeople.

A dry March, a wet April and a cool May

fill barn and cellar and bring much hay.

/arvest predictions are ade

according to the weather.

A fault confessed is half redressed.onfession is the beginning offorgiveness.

A flower blooms more than once. $f you iss an occasion, you can availyourself of it another tie.

A fly will not get into a closed mouth.A closed mouth catches no flies.

$f you learn when to !eep silent youwill avoid trouble.

A fool and his money are (soon easilyparted.

A foolish person usually spendsoney carelessly.

A fool at forty is a fool forever. $f a person hasn't atured by the ageof 0, they never will.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. #oeone who helps you when youare in trouble is a real friend.

A friend to all is a friend to none. #oeone who is a friend to everyonea!es none of the feel special.

A friend's eye is a good mirror. A real friend will tell you the truth.

A good beginning makes a good end. $f a tas! is carefully planned, there's a

better chance that it will be well done.

A good conscience is a soft pillow. 2ou sleep well when you have nothingto be guilty about.

A good example is the best sermon. 3iving a good exaple is better thangiving advice.

A good mind possesses a kingdom. $ntellectual assets are ore valuablethan aterial ones.

A good name is better than a good face. A good reputation is better than agood appearance.

A growing youth has a wolf in his belly. 2oung boys eat a lot 4 are often



hungry.

A guilty conscience needs no accuser. $f you !now that you have donesoething wrong, you don't needanyone to tell you that you're guilty.

A handful of patience is worth more thana bushel of brains.

%atience is ore precious thanintelligence.

A happy heart is better than a full purse. /appiness is better than wealth.

A heavy purse gives to a light heart. 5hen you have oney you feel orecheerfuland secure.

A hedge between keeps friendshipgreen.

$t is iportant to respect the privacy of others.

A hungry belly has no ears. A hungry person is totallyconcentrated on their need for foodand nothing else interests the.

A hungry wolf is fixed to no place. A desperate person will go fro placeto place when they need to satisfytheir needs.

A lender nor borrower be. 6o not lend or borrow oney.

A leopard cannot change itsspots.

$t is ipossible for a bad or unpleasant personto becoe good or pleasant.

A lie begets a lie. elling one lie will lead you to tell another one.

A little fire is !uickly troddenout.

$f you deal with a inor proble uic!ly, it willnot becoe a a&or issue.

A little of what you fancy doesyou good.

$t's o! to give into a little teptationoccasionally.

A loaded wagon makes nonoise.

7eally wealthy people do not tal! about oney.

A loveless life is living death. 5ithout affection, life is difficult.

A man can die but once. $f death coes now, you will not have toexperience it later.

A man is as old as he feelshimself to be.

2our age doesn't atter as long as you are fitand healthy.

A man is judged by his deeds,not by his words.

A person is &udged on what he4sheactually does, not on what they say they will do.

A man is known by thecompany he keeps.

A person's character is &udged by the type ofpeople with who they spend their tie.

A monkey in silk is a monkeyno less.

+o atter how soeone dresses, it's the saeperson underneath.



A new broom sweeps clean (butthe old brush !nows all thecorners...)

A newly8appointed person often a!es changesuic!ly .

A nod is as good as a wink (to a

blind horse"man.

A hint or a subtle signal is enough to convey

eaning to soeone who is ready tounderstand.

A picture paints a thousandwords.

A picture is better than a long description.

A problem shared is a problemhalved.(Also # A worry shared is aworry halved.

$t is easier to deal with a proble when youdiscuss it with soeone.

A rising tide lifts all boats. 7efers to soething that will be helpful to all.

A rolling stone gathers nomoss

$f a person !eeps oving fro place to place,they gain neither friends nor possessions. Another interpretation is that, by oving often,one avoids being tied down9

A rotten apple spoils the barrel. A dishonest or ioral person can have a badinfluence on a group.

A smooth sea never made askilled mariner.

vercoing adversity leads to copetence.

A soft answer turneth away

wrath.

$f your reply is polite and tactful you will avoid

anger.

A stitch in time saves nine. $f you deal with a proble at an early stage youwill save tie and prevent it fro getting worse.

A stumble may prevent a fall. orrecting a sall ista!e ay help you toavoid a!ing a bigger one.

A swallow does not make thesummer.

ne good event does not ean that everythingis alright.

A tidy house holds a boredwoman

$f a house is always tidy, the owner (woan)has nothing but housewor! to occupy her tie.

A watched pot never boils. $f you wait anxiously for soething to happen, itsees to ta!e a long tie.

A wise head keeps a stilltongue

An intelligent person !nows when to stay silent.

A wonder lasts but nine days he effects of an aa;ing or stirring event lastonly nine days< after that, life goes on as before.

A young idler, an old beggar. $f you don't wor!, you won't have any oneywhen you're old.



Absence makes the heart growfonder

5hen you are away fro soeone you love,you love the even ore.

Accidents will happen #oe unfortunate events ust be accepted asinevitable.

Actions speak louder thanwords

5hat a person actually does is ore iportantthan what they say they will do.

Adversity makes strangebedfellows.

%eople of all origins who share the saeisfortune are drawn together.

Advice is cheap $t doesn't cost anything to offer advice.

Advice is least heeded whenmost needed.

5hen a proble is serious, people often do notfollow the advice given.

Advisors run no risks. $t's easier to give advice than to act.

After dinner rest a while, aftersupper walk a while.

6inner is called 'lunch' nowadays, and supperhas becoe 'dinner'.

Age before beauty lder people should be given precedence overthe younger (who are thought to be orebeautiful).

Agree, for the law is costly. A coproise is better than an expensivelawsuit.

All cats are grey in the dark. %eople are undistinguished until they have adea nae for theselves.

All covet, all lose $f you try to obtain everything, you ris! losingeverything.

All days are short to industryand long to idleness.

ie goes by slowly when you have nothing todo.

All good things come to thosewho wait.

$f you are patient you will be rewarded.

All that glitters is not gold. Appearances can be deceptive.

All in good time. "e patient. hings will happen when the tie is

right.

All is fair in love and war. hings that are done in love or war can often beexcused.

All's well that ends well. here is a solution to everything even if there aredoubts.

All roads lead to $ome here are any different ways to reach anob&ective.

All things grow with time %

except grief.

As tie goes by, grief subsides little by little.

All things are difficult before 5ith practice everything becoes easier.



they are easy.

All work and no play makes&ack a dull boy.

=verybody needs a certain aount of relaxation.$t is not good to wor! all the tie.

An ant may well destroy awhole dam.

A sall proble can soeties cause a lot ofhar.

An apple a day keeps thedoctor away.

=ating an apple every day can help to !eep youhealthy.ther interpretation: A sall preventive treatentwards off serious probles.

An empty purse frightensaway friends.

5hen one's financial situation deteriorates,friends tend to disappear.

An nglishman's home is hiscastle

An =nglishan's hoe is a place where he feelssafe, en&oys privacy and can do as he wishes.

An idle brain is the devil'sworkshop

5hen you are busy wor!ing, you avoidteptation.

An old fox is not easily snared. A person of experience is difficult to fool oranipulate.

An onion a day keepseveryone away.

A huoristic version of >an apple a day...>

An ounce of discretion isworth a pound of wit.

$t is better to be cautious and discreet than to tryto be funny.

An ounce of prevention isworth a pound of cure.

$t is easier to prevent soething fro happeningthan to repair the daage or cure the diseaselater.

Anger is the one thing madebetter by delay.

5hen you are angry, it is best not to spea! or actiediately.

Another day, another dollar. A &ob ay be hard or tedious but at least there issoe financial reward.

Any time means no time. $f the date of an event reains vague, it willnever happen.

(he apple doesn't fall farfrom the tree.

hildren reseble their parents.

April showers bring Mayflowers.

#oething bad or unpleasant today ay bringgood things in the future.

As you sow, so shall you reap. 2ou have to accept the conseuences of youractions.

Ask me no !uestions, )'ll tellyou no lies.

here are sub&ects one would rather not discuss.




Alphabetical List - B

(bad news travels fast → a burnt child dreads the fire)

(A bad excuse is betterthan none.

Always give an excuse, even if it's a poor one.

*ad news travels fast. %eople tend to circulate bad news very uic!ly(accidents, illness, etc.).

(A bad penny alwaysturns up.

An unwanted or disreputable person constantly coesbac!.

(A bad tree does notyield good apples.

A bad parent does not raise good children.

(A bad workman blameshis tools.

"laing tools for bad wor!anship is an excuse for lac!of s!ill.

(A barking dog seldombites.

#oeone who constantly a!es threats rarely carriesthe out.

*e just before you aregenerous.

?a!e sure all your debts are paid before you startoffering help to others.

*eauty is only skin deep. A person's character is ore iportant than theirappearance.

*eauty is in the eye ofthe beholder.

6ifferent people have different tastes.

*eauty is the wisdom ofwomen.

+isdom is the beauty ofmen.

+o coent9

*e swift to hear, slow tospeak.

@isten carefully before spea!ing.

(he best advice isfound on the pillow.

A good night's sleep ay help us find an answer to ourproble.

(he best helping handis at the end of yoursleeve.

he best way to get soething done is to do it yourself.

(he best things in lifeare free.

2ou don't have to pay for what is iportant: happiness,friendship, good health.

*etter an egg today thana hen tomorrow.

$t is preferable to have soething sure now than thepossibility of soething better later.

*etter be alone than inbad company.

"e careful in the choice of the people you associatewith.

*etter be the head of adog than the tail of alion.

$t's better to be the leader of a sall group than asubordinate in a bigger one.

*etter flatter a fool thanfight him.

$t's better to avoid disputes with stupid people.

*etter to drink the milk "e careful not to destroy the source of your incoe or



than to eat the cow. welfare.

*etter the devil youknow than the devil youdon't know.

$t's better to deal with soeone difficult but failiar thanchange and ris! dealing with soebody worse.

*etter late than never. $t's better to do soething, even if it's late, than not do itat all.

*etter lose the saddlethan the horse.

$t's better to stop and accept a sall loss than continueand ris! losing everything.

*etter safe than sorry. $t's better to be too careful than to be careless andregret it later.

*etter be untaught thanill%taught.

$t's better not to be taught at all than to be taught badly.

*eware of reeksbearing gifts.

6on't trust your eneies.

(A bird in hand is worthtwo in a bush.

$t's better to !eep what you have than to ris! losing it bysearching for soething else.

*irds of a feather flocktogether.

%eople of the sae sort are usually found together.

(A black plum is assweet as a white.

%eople should not be &udged by their appearance.

*lood is thicker thanwater.

aily relationships are stronger than relationships withother people.

*lood will out. A person's bac!ground or education will eventuallyshow.

(A book holds a houseof gold.

here is a wealth of !nowledge in boo!s.

(A broken friendshipmay be soldered but itwill never be sound.

riendships can be rebuilt after a dispute but will neverbe as strong as before.

(A burden of one'sown choice is not felt.

#oething difficult sees easier when it is donevoluntarily.

(A burnt child dreadsthe fire.

A bad experience will a!e people stay away frocertain things.


Alphabetical List - C

(A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor.

A person shows their copetence orability when difficulties arise.

(A cat has nine lives. 1) ats can survive any accidentsbecause they land on their feet without in&ury.*) +ine lives - years to play, - years to stray, - years to stay.



(A chain is no stronger than itsweakest link.

he strength of a group depends on eachindividual eber.

(A change is as good as a rest. A change in routine is often as refreshingas a brea! or a holiday.

-harity begins at home. A person's first duty is to help and care

for his own faily.-hildren and fools tell the truth. +either children nor fools !now that it is

soeties advantageous to lie.

-leanliness is next to godliness. A clean body is &ust as iportant as apure soul.

-lear moon, frost soon. $f the atosphere is clear, frost ay for.

(A closed mouth catches no flies. $f you learn when to !eep silent you willavoid trouble.

-lothes don't make the man. Appearances can be deceiving.

(A constant guest is never welcome. $f you coe to visit too often, your host

will be less pleased to see you.-onstant occupation preventstemptation.

5hen you are busy wor!ing, you avoidteptation.


Alphabetical List - D

(A danger foreseen is half avoided. $f you are prepared to face a proble or difficulty, it will be easier to deal with.

(he darkest hour is just before dawn. he ost difficult oent is &ust beforea proble is solved.

(A day of sorrow is longer than amonth of joy.

ies goes by very uic!ly when youare happyand very slowly when you are sad.

ead men tell no lies. A dead person cannot cause difficultiesby revealing soething that it would bepreferable to conceal.

eath is the great leveller. All people are eual when they die.

(he devil looks after his own. #uccess coes to those who deserve itleast.

(he devil makes work for idle hands. %eople who have no wor!, or are idle,often get into trouble.

iamonds cut diamonds. 7efers to two people eually atchedin wit or cunning.

(he die is cast. A decision has been ade and it is

ipossible to change it.



iligence is the mother of goodfortune.

/ard wor! brings rewards.

iscretion is the better part of valour. $t is useless to ta!e unnecessary ris!s.

iseases of the soul are moredangerousthan those of the body.

hought to refer to ental andeotional disorder or spiritual torentas opposed to bodily pain.

istance makes the heart grow fonder. 5hen you are separated fro theperson you love, your feelings are evenstronger.

ogs of the same street bark alike. %eople of the sae bac!ground havethe sae behaviour.

on't bark if you can't bite. 6on't coplain if you can't enforce your point of view.

on't count your chickens beforethey're hatched.

2ou ust not be too confident thatsoething will be successful.

on't dig your grave with our ownknife and fork.

6on't do soething yourself thatcauses your own downfall.

on't judge a book by its cover. 6on't &udge by appearances.

(A drop of ink may make a millionthink.

A thought expressed in writing (perhapspublished in a newspaper) caninfluence a large nuber of people.

(A dry March, a wet April and a coolMaymay fill barn and cellar and bringmuch hay.

/arvest predictions according to theweather.


Alphabetical List - E

arly to bed, and early to rise,makesa man healthy, wealthy andwise.

$t is uch better for you to go to bed early and toget up early in the orning<

(he early bird catches theworm.

Act early, or before anyone else, if you want tohave an advantage or be successful.

asier said than done. 5hat is suggested sounds easy, but it is oredifficult to actually do it.

lbow grease is the bestpolish.

/ard wor! gives the best results.

mpty vessels make the mostnoise.

he least intelligent people are often the osttal!ative or noisy.



(An empty purse frightensaway friends.

5hen one's financial situation deteriorates,friends tend to disappear.

(he end justifies the means. 5rong or unfair ethods ay be used if the resultof the action is good.

(An nglishman's home ishis castle.

An =nglishan's hoe is a place where he feelssafe, en&oys privacy and can do as he wishes.

very ass likes to hearhimself bray.

%eople li!e to listen to theselves tal!ing.

very cloud has a silverlining.

here is a positive or hopeful side to everysituation.

very man for himself. 2ou ust thin! of your own interests before theinterests of others.

very man has his price. =veryone's loyalty can be bought for a price.

very man is the architect ofhis own fortune. @ife is what you a!e it.

very path has its puddle. %rogress is rarely without difficulty.

very rose has its thorn. =very good thing has an unpleasant side.

very why has a wherefore. here is an explanation for everything.

verything in the garden isrosy.

=verything is satisfactory.

xperience is the father ofwisdom.

=xperience and !nowledge result in better &udgeent.


Alphabetical List - F

/acts speak louder than words %eople show what they are really li!e by whatthey do, rather than by what they say.

/ailure teaches success. %eople can learn fro their failures and besuccessful later on.

/air exchange is no robbery #wapping two ites of eual value is anhonest deal.

/alse friends are worse thanopen enemies.

$t's better to !now who your real eneies arerather than trust soeone who pretends tobe a friend but is capable of stabbing you inthe bac!.

/amiliarity breeds contempt nowing soeone very well can lead to alac! of respect for the.

(A fault confessed is half

redressed.

onfession is the beginning of forgiveness.



/ine words butter no parsnips +o aount of tal!ing can replace action.

/irst come, first served. he first person in the line will be attended tofirst.

(he first step is the hardest. he ost difficult part of an action is thebeginning.

(A flower blooms more thanonce.

$f you iss an occasion, you can availyourself of it another tie.

(A fly will not get into a closedmouth.

$f you learn when to !eep silent you will avoidtrouble.

(A fool and his money are (sooneasily parted.

A foolish person usually spends oneycarelessly.

(A fool at forty is a fool forever. $f a person hasn't atured by the age of 0,

they never will./ool me once, shame on you0fool me twice, shame on me.

ne should learn fro one's ista!es.

/ools rush in where angels fearto tread.

$nexperienced people becoe involved insituations that ore intelligent people wouldavoid.

(A friend in need is a friendindeed.

#oeone who helps you when you are introuble is a real friend.

(A friend to all is a friend to

none.

#oeone who is a friend to everyone a!es

none of the feel special.

(A friend's eye is a good mirror. A real friend will tell you the truth.

/riendship is like money, easiermade than kept.

=ffort is necessary to !eep a friendship alive.

/riendship is love withunderstanding.

A friend is ore tolerant than alover4partner4spouseB


Alphabetical List - G

ardens are not made by sitting inthe shade.

+othing is achieved without effort.

ive someone an inch and they willtake a mile (or yard

3ive soeone a little and they will wantore 8 soe people are never satisfied.

ive someone enough rope andthey will hang themselves.

3ive soeone enough tie and freedoand they will get into trouble.

od helps those who helpthemselves.

#uccess coes to those who a!e areal effort to achieve it.



ood accounting makes goodfriends.

2ou will !eep your friends if you avoiddisputes over oney.

ood and !uickly seldom meet. A well8done &ob ta!es tie.

(A good beginning makes a goodend.

$f a tas! is carefully planned, there's abetter chance that it will be well done.

(A good conscience is a soft pillow. 2ou sleep well when you have nothing tofeel guilty about.

(A good mind possesses akingdom.

$ntellectual assets are ore valuablethan aterial ones.

(A good name is better than a goodface.

A good reputation is better than a goodappearance.

ood management is better than

good income.

$ncoe can be lost if it is used

carelessly.rasp all, lose all. rying to obtain everything will often

result in gaining nothing.

reat minds think alike. $ntelligent people very often have thesae idea at the sae tie.

reat oaks grow from small acorns. @arge successful operations can begin ina sall way.

rief divided is made lighter. $f you share your grief, it will be easier tobear.

(A growing youth has a wolf in hisbelly.

2oung boys eat a lot 4 are often hungry.

(A guilty conscience needs noaccuser.

$f you !now that you have donesoething wrong, you don't needanyone to tell you that you're guilty.


Alphabetical List - H

1alf a loaf is better thannone

2ou should be grateful for soething, even if it isnot as uch as you wanted.

(A handful of patience isworth more than a bushel ofbrains.

%atience is ore precious than intelligence.

1andsome is whathandsome does.

"ehaviour is ore iportant than appearance.

(A happy heart is better thana full purse.

/appiness is better than wealth.



1ard words breaks nobones.

riticis or verbal attac!s ay be unpleasantbut will not !ill anyone.

1aste makes waste $f soething is done too uic!ly, it ay be donecarelessly and need to be redone.

1atred is as blind as love. A person who feels hatred does not see anyualities in the person he4she hates.

(A heavy purse gives to alight heart.

5hen you have oney you feel ore cheerfuland secure.

(A hedge between keepsfriendship green.

$t is iportant to respect the privacy of others.

1e can who believes hecan.

$f you believe you can do soething, you will beable to do it.

1e has enough who iscontent. A happy person needs nothing ore.

1e who hesitates is lost. $f you delay your decision too long, you ay issa good opportunity.

1e who is everywhere isnowhere.

$t's not good to do too any things at the saetie.

1e who know nothingdoubts nothing.

nowledge leads us to a!e choices.

1e who pays the piper calls

the tune.

he person who provides the oney for

soething should control how it is spent.

1e who plays with fire getsburnt.

$f you behave in a ris!y way, you are li!ely tohave probles.

1e who wills the end willsthe means.

$f you are deterined to do soething you willfind a way.

1e laughs best who laughslast.

6on't express your &oy, or triuph, too soon.

1ealth is better than wealth. $t's better to be in good health than to be rich.

(he best helping hand is atthe end of your sleeve.

he best way to get soething done is to do ityourself.

1ome is where the heart is. 2ou call hoe the place where the people youlove are.

1onesty is the best policy. $t's always better to be honest.

1oney catches more fliesthan vinegar.

2ou can obtain ore cooperation fro othersby being nice.

1owever long the night, thedawn will break.

"ad things don't last forever.

1unger is a good sauce. All food tastes good when you are hungry.



(A hungry belly has no ears. A hungry person is totally concentrated on theirneed for food and nothing else interests the.

(A hungry wolf is fixed to noplace.

A desperate person will go fro place to placewhen they need to satisfy their needs.


Alphabetical List - I

(An idle brain is the devil'sworkshop.

5hen you are busy wor!ing you avoidteptation.

)n times of prosperity friends areplentiful.

2ou have any friends when you haveno difficulties.

)f a camel gets his nose in a tent, his

body will follow.

$f you let soething intrusive enter your

life, your life will becoe difficult.)f in /ebruary there be no rain, 'tisneither good for hay nor grain.

%lants and grains will grow badly if thereis no rain in early spring.

)f you are patient in one moment ofanger, you will avoid 233 days ofsorrow.

Avoid regrets by ta!ing the tie to thin!before spea!ing or acting angrily.

)f you chase two rabbits, you will notcatch either one.

$f you try to do two things at the saetie, you will not succeed in doing either of the.

)f two ride a horse, one must ridebehind.

5hen two people do soethingtogether, one will be the leader and theother will be the subordinate.

)f you want a friend, be a friend. riendship ust be reciprocal.

)f wishes were horses, then beggarswould ride.

5ishing alone is of no use< you ust actas well.

)gnorance is bliss. %ossible interpretation: what you do not!now causes no worry or sadness.

)n for a penny, in for a pound. $f you start soething, it is better tospend the tie or oney necessary tocoplete it.

)n the land of the blind the one%eyedman is king.

A an of even liited ability has anadvantage over a person who is lessable.

)t never rains but it pours. ?isfortune usually coes in largenubers.

)t is always darkest before the dawn. he ost difficult tie is &ust before theproble is solved.

)t's no use crying over spilt milk. 6on't express regret for soething that



has happened and cannot be reedied.

)t takes all sorts to make a world. %eople vary in character and abilities,and this is a good thing.


Alphabetical List - J-K

&ustice delayed is justice denied. $f the law is applied too late, there is no &ustice.

4ill one to warn a hundred. 5arn any people by punishing a few.

4ill not the goose that lays thegolden egg.

6o not destroy the source of your goodfortune.

4indle not a fire you cannot put out. 6o not start soething that you cannotcontrol< you ay fail or cause daage.

4indness begets kindness. $f you are !ind to soeone, they willreturn your !indness.

4nowledge in youth is wisdom inage.

5hat you learn when you are young willbe invaluable when your grow old.

4nowledge is power. $t is easier to a!e progress or besuccessful if you are educated or

possess a lot of inforation.


Alphabetical List - L

5aughter is the best medicine. @aughter a!es people feel good.

5earn to walk before you run. 6on't rush into doing soething before you!now how to do it.

5earning is a treasure that willfollow its owner everywhere.

=ducation is soething that you !eep forever.

5east said, soonest mended.he less you tal! about an incident, the oreeasily it will be forgotten.

(A lender nor borrower be. 6o not lend or borrow oney.

(A leopard cannot change itsspots.

$t is ipossible for a bad or unpleasant personto becoe good or pleasant.

5et bygones be bygones. @et's forgive and forget past uarrels.

5et the chips fall where theymay.

5e should not try to control our destiny.



5iars need good memories.%eople who do not tell the truth ust be carefulto reeber what they say.

A lie begets a lie. elling one lie will lead you to tell another one.

5ightning never strikes in thesame place twice.

An unusual event is not li!ely to occur again inexactly the sae circustances.

5ike father, like son. A son's character can be expected to reseblehis father's.

(A little fire is !uickly troddenout.

$f you deal with a inor proble uic!ly, it willnot becoe a a&or issue.

(A little of what you fancydoes you good.

$t's o! to give into a little teptation occasionally.

5ittle strokes fell good oaks.$f you divide a tas! into sall parts, it becoe

easier to do.(A loaded wagon makes nonoise.

7eally wealthy people do not tal! about oney.

5ook before you leap.onsider possible conseuences before ta!ingaction.

5oose lips sink ships. 6isclosing iportant inforation (to the eneyor a copetitor) could result in large losses.

5osers weepers, finderskeepers.

$f you lose soething you laent, if you findsoething you !eep it.

5ove is blind. A person in love does not see the faults of theperson he4she loves.

(A loveless life is a livingdeath.

5ithout affection, life is difficult.


Alphabetical List - M

Make a silk purse out of asow's ear.

?anage to product soething good using pooraterial.

Man is the head of thefamily and woman is theneck that turns the head.

+o coent9

Man proposes, oddisposes.

ur destiny depends on 3od's will.

(A man can die but once. $f death coes now, you will not have toexperience it later.

(A man is as old as he 2our age doesn't atter as long as you are fit and



feels himself to be. healthy.

(A man is judged by hisdeeds, not by his words.

A person is &udged on what he4she actually does,not on what they say they will do.

(A man is known by thecompany he keeps.

A person's character is &udged by the type ofpeople with who they spend their tie.

Manners make the man. %ossibly: a person's anners show their origins.

Many a true word is spokenin jest.

=ven if soething is said as a &o!e it can still betrue.

Many hands make lightwork.

#haring wor! a!es the tas! easier.

March comes in like a lionand goes out like a lamb.

he weather at the beginning of ?arch is storyand at the end is ild.

March winds and Aprilshowers bring forth Mayflowers.

he stors and rain in ?arch and April produceflowers in the onth of ?ay.

Mark, learn and inwardlydigest.

+ote and reflect upon soething in order tothoroughly assiilate it.

Marry in haste, repent asleisure.

$f you get arried too uic!ly, you ay spend your whole life regretting it.

Memory is the treasure ofthe mind.

A good eory is very precious.

Men make houses, womenmake homes.

5oen give a house its cofort and character.

Might as well be hanged for a sheep as (for a lamb.

$f the penalty is going to be sae, you ight aswell coit the greater offence.

Misery loves company 5hen people are sad they often li!e others to feelsad too.

Money begets money. $f you have oney you can a!e ore oney.

Money doesn't grow ontrees.

2ou should not waste oney because it is notplentiful or obtained easily.

(A monkey in silk is amonkey no less.

+o atter how soeone dresses, it's the saeperson underneath.

(he more haste, the lessspeed.

A person a!es ore progress if they ta!e tie todo things carefully.

(he more you have, themore you want.

%eople have a constant desire to possess ore.

(he mouse that has but

one hole is

$f you depend on &ust one thing, and it fails, you

have no alternatives.



!uickly taken.


Alphabetical List - N

6ecessity is the mother ofinvention.

he need for soething forces people to find away of obtaining it.

6eed teaches a plan. +ecessity will a!e you find a solution.

6eeds must when the devildrives.

#oeties you are copelled to do soethingthat you would rather not do.

6ever put off till tomorrowwhat can

be done today.

6on't postpone until later soething you can donow.

6ever say die. +ever give up.

6ever trouble troubles untiltroublestrouble you.

6on't loo! for probles in advance< deal withthe when they arise.

(A new broom sweeps clean(but the old brush !nows all thecorners...)

A newly8appointed person often a!es changesuic!ly .

(A nod is as good as a wink(to a blind horse"man. A hint or a subtle signal is enough to conveyeaning to soeone who is ready to understand.

6obody is perfect. $t is understandable not to be perfect or to a!eoccasional ista!es.

6o joy without annoy here is no happiness without clouds.

6o losers, no winners. $f there were no losers, there could be nowinners.

6o man can serve twomasters.

$t's ipossible to follow instructions fro twodifferent sources.

6o man is a hero to his valet. ew people are adired by those who !now theintiately and are aware of their failings.

6o man is an island. 5e are all interdependent and need other people.

6o news is good news. $f the news was bad, we would hear of it. #incewe have heard nothing, we can assue that all iswell.

6o pain, no gain. +othing is achieved without effort.

6o rain, no grain. 5ithout rain the harvest will be poor.

6o smoke without fire. here could be soe truth in the ruour ...



6o wind, no waves. #iilar to 'no so!e without fire'.

6othing ventured nothinggained.

2ou cannot expect to achieve anything if you ta!eno ris!s.

English Proverbs & Sayings Alphabetical List - O

(An old fox is not easilysnared.

A person of experience is difficult to fool oranipulate.

7nce bitten, twice shy. After an unpleasant experience, people arecareful to avoid soething siilar.

7ne father is (worth more thana hundred schoolmasters.

A teacher cannot replace a father. A child is raised by a father and taught by a

teacher.7ne good turn deservesanother.

2ou should be helpful to soeone who helpsyou.

7ne of these days is none ofthese days.

Cntil a date is set, 'one of these days' reainsa vague proise.

7ne today is worth twotomorrows.

5hat you have today is better than what isproised or hoped for.

7ne man's meat is anotherman's poison.

%eople don't always li!e the sae things.

7ne man's trash is anotherman's treasure.

5hat is useless to one person could bevaluable to another.

7ne swallow doesn't make asummer.

A single satisfactory event does not ean thatall the others will be as good.

(An onion a day keepseveryone away.

A huoristic version of >an apple a day...>

7nly real friends will tell youwhen your face is dirty.

nly a real friend will tell you the truth.

7pportunity seldom knockstwice.

6on't iss opportunities that coe along.

(An ounce of discretion isworth a pound of wit.

$t is better to be cautious and discreet than totry to be funny.

(An ounce of prevention isworth a poundof cure.

$t is easier to prevent soething frohappening than to repair the daage or curethe disease later.

7ut of the mouth of babes andsucklings.

hildren often spea! wisely.

7ut of sight, out of mind. 5e tend to forget people or things that we do



not see.


Alphabetical List - P-Q

(he pen is mightier than thesword.

Words and communication have a greater effect than

war and fighting.

8enny wise, pound foolish. Refers to a person who is careful about spending small

amounts of money, but not careful about spending

large amounts.

8eople who live in glasshouses should not throw

stones.

One should not criticize others for faults similar to

one's own and risk retaliation.

(A picture paints a thousandwords.

A picture is better than a long description.

8ity is akin to love. f you begin to feel sorry for someone, you may start to

love them.

8overty waits at the gates ofidleness.

f you do not work, you will not earn any money.

8ractice makes perfect. !oing something repeatedly is the only way to become

good at it.

8ractice what you preach. !o yourself what you advise others to do.

8revention is better thancure.

t is easier to prevent something from happening than

to repair the damage or cure the disease later.

8ride comes before a fall. !on't be too self"confident or proud# something may

happen to make you look foolish.

(A problem shared is aproblem halved.

t is easier to deal with a problem when you discuss it

with someone.

8rocrastination is the thief of

time. !elaying an ction for too long is a waste of time.

(he proof of the pudding isin the eating.

$he real value of something can be %udged only after it

has been tried or tested.

8unctuality is the soul ofbusiness.

&ou should always be on time for your business

appointments.

8ut all your eggs in onebasket.

Risk everything by relying on one plan e.g. by putting

all one's money into one business(.




Alphabetical List - R

$evenge is sweet. here is satisfaction in returning an in&ury.

(A rising tide lifts all boats. 7efers to soething that will be helpful to all.

(he road to hell is paved withgood intentions.

$t is not enough to intend to do soething,you ust actually do it.

(A rolling stone gathers nomoss

$f a person !eeps oving fro place to place,they gain neither friends nor possessions. Another interpretation is that, by ovingoften, one avoids being tied down9

$ome was not built in a day. $t ta!es tie to a &ob properly. 2ou should notexpect to do it uic!ly.

(A rotten apple spoils thebarrel.

A dishonest or ioral person can have abad influence on a group.


Alphabetical List - S

9ave me from my friends. riends can be ore dangerous thaneneies.

9aying is one thing, doing is another.%eople don't always do what theyannounce.

9hort reckonings make long friends. 6ebts paid uic!ly encourage friendship.

9ickness in the body brings sadnessto the mind.

%hysical suffering can lead to sadnessor depression.

9ilence gives consent. $f you don't ob&ect soething, it isassued that you agree with it.

(A soft answer turneth away wrath. $f your reply is polite and tactful you willavoid anger.

(A smooth sea never made a skilledmariner.

vercoing adversity leads tocopetence.

9nug as a bug in a rug. eeling very cofortable.

9pare the rod and spoil the child. $f you don't punish a child when he doeswrong, you will spoil his character.

9peech is silver, silence is golden.#pea!ing is good, but discretion can bebetter.

9ticks and stones will break my

bones but names will never hurt me.

%hysical attac!s ay har e, but cruel

words will not.



9till waters run deep. A uiet person with a cal outwardappearance can have uch !nowledgeor wisdo.

(A stitch in time saves nine. $t's better to deal with a proble at an

early stage so as to prevent it frogetting worse.

9tolen fruit is sweet " the sweetest9tolen pleasures are the sweetest.

5hat is forbidden is the ost tepting.

(A stumble may prevent a fall. orrecting a sall ista!e ay help youto avoid a!ing a bigger one.

(A swallow does not make thesummer.

ne good event does not ean thateverything is alright.


Alphabetical List -

all oaks grow from littleacorns.

3reat things ay coe fro sall beginnings.

he apple doesn't fall far fromthe tree.

hildren reseble their parents.

he best advice is found on

the pillow.

A good night's sleep ay help us find an answer

to our proble.

he best things in life arefree.

2ou don't have to pay for what is iportant:happiness, friendship, good health.

he darkest hour is justbefore dawn.

he ost difficult oent is &ust before aproble is solved.

he devil looks after his own. #uccess coes to those who deserve it least.

he devil makes work for idlehands.

%eople who have no wor!, or are idle, often getinto trouble.

he die is cast. A decision has been ade and it is ipossible tochange it.

he early bird catches theworm.

Act early, or before anyone else, if you want tohave an advantage or be successful.

he end justifies the means. 5rong or unfair ethods ay be used if theresult of the action is good.

he first step is the hardest. he ost difficult part of an action is thebeginning.

he more haste, the lessspeed.

A person a!es ore progress if they ta!e tieto do things carefully.



he more you have, the moreyou want.

%eople have a constant desire to possess ore.

he mouse that has but onehole is

!uickly taken.

$f you depend on &ust one thing, and it fails, youhave no alternatives.

he pen is mightier than thesword.

5ords and counication have a greater effectthan war and fighting.

he proof of the pudding is inthe eating.

he real value of soething can be &udged onlyafter it has been tried or tested.

he road to hell is paved withgood intentions.

$t is not enough to intend to do soething, youust actually do it.

he tongue wounds morethan a lance.

$nsults can be ore hurtful than physicalin&uries.

he truth is in the wine. %eople spea! ore freely under the influence ofalcohol.

he way to a man's heart isthrough his stomach.

eed a an well and he will love you.

he wish is father to thethought.

2ou thin! that soething is true because youwant it to be so.

here is a black sheep inevery flock.

here is always soeone who doesn't behaveor perfor li!e the others.

here's many a slip betweenthe cupand the lip.

5e do not own soething until we actually getit.

here is a trick in every trade. here is an established way of doing things.

here is no fool like an oldfool.

An older person is expected to behave oresensibly.

here is safety in numbers. "eing in a crowd a!es you feel ore confident.

(A tidy house holds a bored

woman.

$f a house is always tidy, the owner (woan) has

nothing but housewor! to occupy her tie.ime and tide wait for noman.

6elaying a decision will not prevent events frota!ing place.

ime has wings. ie goes by uic!ly.

ime heals all wounds. he passage of tie lessens the ipact of badevents.

ime is money. ie is valuable and should not be wasted.

o err is human, to forgive

divine.

$t is huan nature to a!e ista!es, therefore

one should forgive the.oo many cooks spoil the $f too any people are involved in soething, it



broth. will not be done properly.

oo much bed makes a dullhead.

5hen you sleep too uch, you are not able tothin! clearly.

(he tongue wounds morethan a lance.

$nsults can be ore hurtful than physicalin&uries.

A tree is known by its fruit. A person is &udged by their actions.

rust not a horse's heel nor adog'stooth.

A horse !ic!s fro behind, a dog attac!s with itsteeth.

ruth has no answer. 2ou cannot argue against facts or refute what istrue.

(he truth is in the wine. %eople spea! ore freely under the influence of

alcohol.ruth is stranger than fiction. =vents in real life are often stranger than in

fiction.

wo wrongs don't make aright.

$t is wrong to har soeone because they havehared you.


Alphabetical List - !-"

:nion is strength A group has ore force than anindividual.

:nwillingness easily finds an excuse. A person who doesn't want to dosoething always finds a reason toavoid it.

;ariety is the spice of life. 6oing a lot of different things a!es lifeore interesting.

;irtue is its own reward. 2ou should not expect praise for acting

in a correct or oral way.


Alphabetical List - #

+alls have ears. "e careful. %eople could be listening.

+aste not, want not. $f you never waste anything, you will have iswhen you need it.

(A watched pot never boils. $f you wait anxiously for soething to happen, it



sees to ta!e a long tie.

(he way to a man's heart isthrough his stomach.

eed a an well and he will love you.

+hat the eye doesn't see, theheart doesn't grieve over.

$f a person doesn't !now about soething, itcannot hurt the.

+hat a man says drunk, hethinks sober.

%eople spea! ore freely under the influence of alcohol.

+hat soberness conceals,drunkenness reveals.

%eople are less discreet under the influence ofalcohol.

+hen the cat's away, the miceplay.

%eople soeties isbehave when the personin authority, is absent.

+hen in $ome, do as the

$omans do.

2ou should adopt the custos of the people or

country you are visiting and behave in the saeway.

+hen poverty comes in thedoor, love goes out thewindow.

5hen a couple loses everything, theirrelationship becoes difficult.

+here there's life there'shope.

As long as a person is breathing, there is hopefor recovery.

+here there's a will there's away.

$f you are deterined to do soething, you willfind a way to do it.

+ho makes himself a sheepwill be eaten by the wolves.

%ossible interpretation: an easily influencedperson can be islead.

(A wise head keeps a stilltongue

An intelligent person !nows when to stay silent.

+isdom is better thanstrength.

$t is preferable to use one's intelligence thanone's physical strength.

(he wish is father to thethought.

2ou thin! that soething is true because youwant it to be so.

(A wonder lasts but nine days he effects of an aa;ing or stirring event lastonly nine days< after that, life goes on asbefore.

+onders will never cease< =xpresses surprise at an unexpected pleasureor event.

+orry often gives a smallthing a big shadow.

5orrying over sall details can a!e thesee worse.

(wo wrongs don't make aright.

$t is wrong to har soeone because theyhave hared you.




Alphabetical List - $-%-&

=ou are what you eat.

5hat you eat has an effect on your well8

being.

=ou are never too old to learn. 2ou can always learn soething new,no atter how old you are.

=ou can lead a horse to water but youcan't make it drink.

2ou can offer soebody an opportunityto do soething but you can't forcethe to do it.

=ou can't teach an old dog newtricks.

A person who is used to doing things acertain way cannot change.

=ou never know what you can dountil you try.

ry first before deciding not to dosoething.

=ou scratch my back and )'ll scratchyours.

2ou help e and $'ll help you.

(A young idler, an old beggar. $f you don't wor!, you won't have anyoney when you're old.

english proverbs a-z

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