proverbs english

7/28/2019 proverbs english

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Alphabetical list of proverbs - A - Z

Proverb Explanation / Meaning

AAbsence makes theheart grow fonder.

When you are away from someone youlove, you love them even more.

Accidents will happen.

Some unfortunate events must be

accepted as inevitable.

Actions speak louderthan words.

What a person actually does is moreimportant that what they say they will do.

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

Advice is least heededwhen most needed.

When a problem is serious, peopleoften do not follow the advice given.

Advisers run no risks. It's easier to give advice than to act.

All cats are grey in the People are undistinguished until they


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dark. have made a name.

All good things come to

those who wait. Patience brings rewards.

All that glitters is notgold.

Appearances can be deceptive.

All days are short toIndustry and long to

Idleness.

Time goes by slowly when you have

nothing to do.

All is fair in love andwar

Things that are done in love or war canoften be excused.

All's well that ends wellThere is a solution to everything even

though there are doubts.

All that glitters is notgold.

What look good on the outside may notbe so in reality.

All things grow with As time goes by, grief subsides little by


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time - except grief. little.

All things are difficult

before they are easy. With practice things become easier.

All work and no playmakes Jack a dull boy.

Everybody needs a certain amount ofrelaxation. It is not good to work allthe time.

An apple a day keepsthe doctor away.*

Eating an apple every day can help to

keep you healthy.Other interpretation : A small preventive

treatment wards off serious problems.

An empty pursefrightens away friends.

When one's financial situationdeteriorates, friends tend to disappear.

An Englishman's homeis his castle.

An Englishman's home is a place wherehe feels safe, enjoys privacyand can do as he wishes.


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An idle brain is thedevil's workshop.

When you work you avoid temptation.

An onion a day keepseveryone away.*

*A humoristic version of "an apple aday..."

An ounce of preventionis worth a pound of cure.

It is easier to prevent something fromhappening than to repair the damage orcure the disease later.

Anger is the one thingmade better by delay.

When you are angry, it is best not tospeak or act immediately.

Any time means notime.

If the date of an event remains vague, itwill never happen.

April showers bring May

flowers.

Something bad or unpleasant today may

bring good things in the future.

A bad tree does not A bad parent does not raise good


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yield good apples. children.

A bad workman blames

his tools.

Blaming the tools for bad workmanship

is an excuse for lack of skill.

A bird in hand is worthtwo in a bush.

It's better to keep what you have than torisk losing it by searching for somethingbetter.

A broken friendship

may be soldered but willnever be sound.

Friendships can be rebuilt after a

dispute but will never be as strong asbefore.

A burden of one's ownchoice is not felt.

Something difficult seems easier when itis done voluntarily.

A burnt child dreads

the fire.

A bad experience will make people stay

away from certain things.

A cat has nine lives. 1) Cats can survive many accidentsbecause they land on their feet without


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injury.2) Three lives = 3 years to play, 3 years

to stray, 3 years to stay.

A chain is no strongerthan its weakest link.

The strength of a group depends oneach individual member.

A change is as good asa rest.

A change in routine is often asrefreshing as a break or a holiday.

A dry March, a wet Apriland a cool May

fill barn and cellar andbring much hay.

Harvest predictions according to theweather.

A fault confessed is half

redressed.

Confession is the beginning of

forgiveness.

A flower blooms morethan once.

If you miss an occasion, you can availof it at another time.


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A fool and his moneyare soon (easily) parted.

A foolish person usually spends moneycarelessly.

A fool at forty is a foolforever.

If a person hasn't matured by the age of40, they never will.

A friend in need is afriend indeed.

Someone who helps you when you arein trouble is a real friend.

A friend to all is a friend

to none.

Someone who is a friend to everyone

makes none of them feel special.

A friend's eye is a goodmirror.

A real friend will tell you the truth.

A good example is thebest sermon.

Giving an example is better than givingadvice.

A good beginningmakes a good end.

If a task is carefully planned, there's abetter chance that it will be done well.

A good conscience is a You sleep well when you have nothing


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soft pillow. to feel guilty about.

A guilty conscience

needs no accuser.

A leopard cannotchange its spots.

It is not possible for a bad or unpleasantperson to become good or pleasant.

A loaded wagon makesno noise.

Really wealthy don't talk about money.

A loveless life is a livingdeath.

A man can die but once.

A man is as old as hefeels himself to be.

A man is known by thecompany he keeps.

A person's character is judged by thetype of people with whom they spendtheir time.


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A monkey in silk is amonkey no less.

No matter how someone dresses, it'sthe same person underneath.

A new broom sweepsclean.

A newly-appointed person makeschanges energetically.

A problem shared is aproblem halved.

It will be easier to deal with a problem ifyou discuss it with someone.

A rising tide lifts all

boats.

Describes something that will be helpful

to all.

A rolling stone gathersno moss.

If a person keeps moving from place toplace, they gain neither friends norpossessions.Another interpretation is that, by moving

often, one avoids being tied down!

A rotten apple spoilsthe barrel.

A dishonest or immoral person canhave a bad influence on a group.


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A smooth sea nevermade a skilled mariner.

Overcoming adversity leads tocompetence.

A stitch in time savesnine.

It's better to deal with a problem at anearly stage, to prevent it from gettingworse.

A stumble may preventa fall.

Correcting a small mistake may helpyou to avoid making a bigger one.

A swallow does notmake the summer.

One good event does not mean thateverything is alright.

A tree is known by itsfruit.

A man is judged by his actions.

A watched pot never

boils

If you wait anxiously for something, it

seems to take a long time.

A young idler, an oldbeggar.

If you don't work, you won't have anymoney when you're old.


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After dinner rest awhile, after supper walk

a mile.

Today 'dinner' is usually called 'lunch',and 'supper' more often called 'dinner'.

As you sow, so shallyou reap

You have to accept the consequencesof your actions.

Ask me no questions,I'll tell you no lies.

There are subjects I'd rather notdiscuss.

B Bad news travels fast.People tend to circulate bad news

(accidents, illness etc.) very quickly.

Beauty is only skindeep.

A person's character is more importantthan their appearance.

Beauty is in the eye ofthe beholder.

Different people have different tastes.

Beauty is the wisdom of


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women. Wisdom is thebeauty of men.

Be swift to hear, slow tospeak.

Listen carefully before speaking.

Better be alone than inbad company.

Be careful in the choice of the peopleyou associate with.

Better be the head of a

dog then the tail of alion.

It's better to be the leader of a smallgroup than a subordinate in a bigger one.

Better flatter a fool thanfight him.

It's better to avoid disputes with stupidpeople.

Better the devil youknow than the devil youdon't know

It's better to deal with somebody difficult

but familiar, than change and risk dealing

with somebody worse.


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Better late than never.It's better to do something, even if it's

late, than not do it at all.

Better lose the saddlethan the horse.

It's better to stop and accept a smallloss, rather than continue and risk losingeverything.

Better safe than sorryIt's better to be too careful than to be

careless and regret it later.

Better to drink the milkthan to eat the cow.

Be careful not to destroy the source ofyour income or welfare.

Better untaught than ill-taught

It's better not to be taught at all than tobe taught badly.

Beware of Greeks

bearing gifts. Don't trust your enemies.

Birds of a feather flocktogether.

People of the same sort are usuallyfound together.


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Blood is thicker thanwater

Family relationships are stronger thanrelationships with other people.

Blood will out. A person's background or education willeventually show.

C Charity begins at home.A person's first duty is to help and care

for his own family.

Children and fools tellthe truth.

Cleanliness is next togodliness.

A clean body is just as important as apure soul.

Clear moon, frost soon.

If the atmosphere is clear, frost may

form.

Clothes don't make theman.

Appearances can be deceiving.


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Constant occupationprevents temptation.

When you work you avoid temptation.

D Dead men tell no tales A dead person cannot cause difficultiesby revealing something that it would bepreferable to conceal.

Diamond cuts diamond.

Refers to two people equally matched in

wit or cunning.

Diligence is the motherof good fortune.

Hard work brings rewards.

Discretion is the betterpart of valour

It is useless to take unnecessary risks.

Diseases of the soul aremore dangerous thanthose of the body.


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Distance makes theheart grow fonder.

When you are separated from theperson you love, your feelings are even

stronger.

Dogs of the same streetbark alike.

People from the same background havethe same behaviour.

Don't bark if you can'tbite.

Don't complain if you can't enforce yourpoint of view.

Don't count yourchickens before they'rehatched.

You must not be too confident thatsomething will be successful.

Don't dig your gravewith your own knife and

fork.

Don't do something yourself which

causes your own downfall.

Don't judge a book byits cover.

Don't judge by appearances.


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E

Early to bed and early torise makes a manhealthy, wealthy andwise.

Easier said than done.What is suggested sounds easy but it is

more difficult to actually do it.

Elbow grease is thebest polish.

Hard work gives the best results.

Empty vessels make themost noise.

The least intelligent people are often themost talkative or noisy.

Every ass likes to hear

himself bray.

People like to listen to themselves

talking.

Every cloud has a silverlining

There is a positive or hopeful side toevery unpleasant situation.


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Every man for himself.You must think of your own interests

before the interests of others.

Every man has hisprice.

Everyone's loyalty can be bought for aprice.

Every man is thearchitect of his ownfortune.

Life is what you make it.

Every path has itspuddle.

Progress is rarely without difficulty.

Every rose has itsthorn.

Every good thing has an unpleasantside.

Every why has a

wherefore. There is an explanation for everything.

Everything in thegarden is rosy.

Everything is satisfactory.


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Experience is the fatherof wisdom.

Experience and knowledge result inbetter judgement.

FFacts speak louder thanwords.

People show what they are really like bywhat they do, rather than by what

they say.

Failure teaches

success.

False friends are worsethan open enemies.

Familiarity breedscontempt

Knowing somebody very well may leadto a lack of respect for them.

Fine words butter noparsnips.

No amount of talking can replace action.

First come, first served. The first person in the line will be


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attended to first.

Fool me once, shame

on you;fool me twice, shame onme.

One should learn from one's mistakes.

Fools rush in whereangels fear to tread

Inexperienced people act in situationsthat more intelligent people would avoid

Friendship is love withunderstanding.

GGardens are not madeby sitting in the shade.

Nothing is achieved without effort.

Give someone an inchand they will take amile (or yard).

Give someone a little and they will wantmore - some people are never satisfied.


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Give someone enoughrope and they will hang

themselves.

Give someone enough time andfreedom and they will get into trouble.

God helps those whohelp themselves.

Good accounting makesgood friends.

You will keep your friends if you avoiddisputes over money.

Good and quicklyseldom meet.

A well-done job takes time.

Good management isbetter than goodincome.

Great minds think alike.Said when you express the same

opinion as another person at the sametime.


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Great oaks grow fromlittle acorns.

Large successful operations can beginin a small way.

Grief divided is madelighter

If you share your grief it is easier tobear.

HHalf a loaf is better thannone.

You should be grateful for something,even if it's not as much as you wanted.

Hard words break nobones.

Haste makes waste.If something is done too quickly, it may

be done carelessly and need to beredone.

Hatred is a blind aslove.

A person who feels hatred does not seeany qualities in the person he/she hates.

He can who believes he If you believe you can do something,


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can. you will be able to do it.

He has enough who is

content.A happy person needs nothing more.

He who hesitates is lost.If you delay your decision too long, you

may miss a good opportunity.

He who is everywhere isnowhere.

It's not good to do too many things atthe same time.

He who knows nothing,doubts nothing.

Knowledge leads us to make choices.

He who pays the pipercalls the tune.

The person who provides the money forsomething should control how it is spent

He who plays with fire

gets burnt.

If you behave in a risky way, you are

likely to have problems.

He who wills the endwills the means.

If you are determined to do somethingyou will find a way.


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He laughs best wholaughs last.

Don't express your joy, or your triumph,too soon!

Health is better thanwealth.

It's better to be in good health than tobe rich.

Home is where the heartis.

You call home the place where thepeople you love are.

Honesty is the best

policy. It's always better to be honest.

Honey catches moreflies than vinegar.

You can obtain more cooperation fromothers by being nice.

However long the night,the dawn will break

Bad things don't last forever.

Hunger is a good sauce.All food tastes good when you are

hungry.


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IIn times of prosperityfriends are plentiful.

You have many friends when you haveno difficulties.

If a camel gets his nosein a tent, his body willfollow.

If you let something intrusive enter yourlife, your life will become difficult .

If in February there beno rain, 'tis neither good

for hay nor grain.

Plants and crops will grow badly if thereis no rain in early spring.

If you are patient in onemoment of anger,you will avoid 100 daysof sorrow.

Avoid regrets by taking time to thinkbefore speaking or acting angrily.

If you chase tworabbits, you will notcatch eitherone.

If you try to do two things at the sametime, you won't succeed in doing either ofthem.


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If two ride a horse, onemust ride behind.

When two people do somethingtogether, one will be the leader

and the other will be the subordinate.If you want a friend, bea friend.

If wishes were horses,then beggars would ride.

Wishing alone is of no use; you mustact as well.

Ignorance is bliss. Possible interpretation: What you do notknow causes no worry or sadness.

In for a penny, in for apound.

If you start something, it's better tospend the time or money necessary tocomplete it.

In the land of the blind,the one-eyed man isking.

A man of even limited ability has anadvantage over a person who is lessable.


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It never rains but itpours.

Misfortunes usually come in largenumbers.

It is always darkestbefore the dawn

The most difficult time is just before aproblem is solved.

It's no use crying overspilt milk.

Don't express regret for something thathas happened and cannot be remedied.

It takes all sorts to make

a world.

People vary in character and abilities,

and this is a good thing.

JJustice delayed is

justice denied.If the law is applied too late, there is no

justice.

KKnowledge in youth iswisdom in age.

What you learn when you are young willbe invaluable when you grow old.

Knowledge is power. Knowledge makes it possible for you to


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act.

Kill one to warn a

hundred.Warn many by punishing a few.

Kill the goose that laysthe golden egg.

Destroy something that would be asource of wealth or success.

Kindness begetskindness.

If you are kind to people, they will bekind to you.

Proverb Explanation / Meaning

LLaughter is the bestmedicine.

Learn to walk beforeyou run.

Don't rush into doing something until youknow how to do it.

Learning is a treasurethat will follow its ownereverywhere.

Education is something you keepforever.


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Least said soonestmended.

The more discreet you are, the lessdamage you cause.

Let bygones bebygones.

Let's forgive and forget past quarrels.

Let not the sun go downon your wrath.

Do not stay angry for more than oneday.

Let the chips fall where

they may.We should not try to control our destiny.

Liars need goodmemories.

People who do not tell the truth must becareful to remember what they say.

Lightning never strikesin the same place twice

An unusual event is not likely to occuragain in exactly the same circumstances.

Like father, like son. A son's character can be expected toresemble his father's.

Little strokes fell great If you divide a task into small parts, it


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oaks. becomes easier to do.

Look before you leap.Consider possible consequences before

taking action.

Loose lips sink ships.

Disclosing important information ( to theenemy or a competitor) could result inlargelosses.

Losers weepers, finderskeepers.

If you lose something you weep, if youfind something you keep it.

Love is blind.A person in love does not see the faults

of the person he/she loves.

MMake a silk purse out ofa sow's ear

Manage to produce something goodusing poor material.

Man is the head of the


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family;woman is the neck that

turns the head.

Man proposes, Goddisposes.

Our destiny depends on God's will.

Manners make the man.Possibly: a person's manners show

their origins.

Many hands make lightwork.

Sharing work makes work easier.

Marry in haste, repent atleisure.

If you get married too quickly, you mayspend all your life regretting it.

Memory is the treasure

of the mind. Men make houses,women make homes.


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Might as well be hangedfor a sheep as (for) a

lamb

If the penalty is going to be the same,you might as well commit the greater

offence.

Money begets money.If you have money you can make more

money.

Money doesn't grow ontrees.

You shouldn't waste money because it isnot plentiful.

Money is the root of allevil.

Money is the main cause of wrongdoingand problems.

NNecessity is the motherof invention.

The need for something forces peopleto find a way of obtaining it.

Need teaches a plan. Necessity will make you find a solution. Never put off till

tomorrow what can beDon't postpone something you can do

now.


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done today

Never say die. Never give up.

Nobody is perfect. No man can serve twomasters.

It's impossible to follow instructions fromtwo different sources.

No man is an island. We all need other people.

No news is good news.

If the news was bad, we would hear of

it. Since we have heard nothing,we can assume that all is well.

No smoke without fire.There could be some truth in the

rumour...

No wind, no waves. Similar to : 'no smoke without fire'.

Nothing ventured,nothing gained.

You cannot expect to achieve anythingif you don't take risks.


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O Once bitten, twice shy.After an unpleasant experience, people

are careful to avoid something similar.

One father is more thana hundredschoolmasters.

One good turn deservesanother.

You should be helpful to someone whohelps you.

One of these days isnone of these days.

'One of these days' remains vague.

One today is worth twotomorrow.

What you have today is better thanwhat is promised or hoped for.

One man's meat is

another man's poison

People don't always like the same

things.

One man's trash isanother man's treasure.

What is useless to one person could bevaluable to another.


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One swallow doesn'tmake a summer.

A single satisfactory event does notmean that all the others will be as good.

Only real friends will tellyou when your face isdirty.

Only a real friend will tell you the truth.

Opportunity seldomknocks twice.

Don't miss opportunities that comealong.

Out of the mouths ofbabes and sucklings

Children often speak wisely.

Out of sight, out ofmind.

We tend to forget people or things thatwe do not see.

P Patience is a virtue It is good to be patient. Penny wise, pound

foolish.Refers to a person who is careful about

spending small amounts of money, but


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not careful about spending largeamounts of money.

People who live in glasshouses should not throwstones.

One should not criticize others for faultssimilar to one's own.

Poverty waits at thegates of idleness.

If you do not work you will not makemoney.

Practice makes perfect. Doing something repeatedly is the onlyway to become good at it.

Practise what youpreach

Do yourself what you advise others todo.

Prevention is betterthan cure

It is easier to prevent something from

happening than to repair the damage orcure thedisease later.


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Pride comes before afall.

Don't be too self-confident or proud;something may happen to make you look

foolish.

Procrastination is thethief of time

Delaying an action for too long is awaste of time.

Punctuality is the soulof business

You should always be on time for yourbusiness appointments.

Put all your eggs in onebasket

Risk everything by relying on one plan(by putting all one's money in onebusiness).

R

Revenge is sweet.

There is satisfaction in returning an

injury.

Rome was not built in aday.

It takes a long time to do a job properly.You should not expect to do it quickly.


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SSave me from my

friends.

Friends can be more dangerous than

enemies.

Saying is one thing,doing is another.

People don't always do what theyannounce.

Short reckonings makelong friends.

Debts paid quickly encourage friendship.

Sickness in the bodybrings sadness to themind.

Silence gives consent.If you don't object to something it can be

assumed that you agree with it.

Snug as a bug in a rug. Feeling very comfortable.

Spare the rod and spoilthe child

If you don't punish a child when he doeswrong, you will spoil his character.


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Sticks and stones willbreak my bones but

nameswill never hurt me

Physical attacks may harm me, but cruel

words will not.

Still waters run deep.A quiet person can have much

knowledge or wisdom.

A stitch in time savesnine

It's better to deal with a problem in its

early stages, because if you don't, it willgetworse.

Stolen fruit is thesweetest.

What is forbidden is the most tempting.

TTall oaks grow fromlittle acorns.

Great things may come from smallbeginnings.


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The apple doesn't fallfar from the tree.

Children resemble their parents.

The best advice isfound on the pillow.

After a good night's sleep we may findan answer to our problem.

The best things in life

are free.

You don't have to pay for what isimportant : happiness, friendship, goodhealth.

The darkest hour is justbefore dawn.

There is hope even in the worst of times.

The devil looks after hisown.

Success comes to those who deserve itleast .

The devil makes work

for idle hands

People who have no work, or are idle,

often get into or make trouble.

The die is cast.A decision has been made and it's

impossible to change it.


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The early bird catchesthe worm.

If you want to do somethingsuccessfully, you should do it as soon as

you can.

The end justifies themeans.

Wrong or unfair methods may be used ifthe result of the action is good.

The first step is thehardest.

The most difficult thing is to begin.

The more haste, theless speed.

A person makes more progress if theydo things less quickly.

The more you have, themore you want.

People have a constant desire topossess more.

The mouse that has but

one hole is quicklytaken.

If you depend on just one thing, and itfails you, you will have no alternatives.

The pen is mightier than Words and communication have greater


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the sword effect than war and fighting.

The proof of thepudding is in the eating.

The real value of something can be

judged only after it has been tried ortested.

The road to hell ispaved with goodintentions.

It's not enough to intend to dosomething, you must actually do it.

The tongue woundsmore than a lance.

Insults can be more hurtful thanphysical injuries.

The truth is in the wine.People speak more freely under the

influence of alcohol.

The way to a man's

heart is through hisstomach.

Feed a man well and he will love you.

The wish is father to the You think that something is true


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thought. because you want it to be so.

There is a black sheep

in every flock.

There is always one who doesn't

behave or perform like the others.

There is a trick in everytrade.

There is an established way of doingthings.

There is no fool like anold fool.

A older person is expected to behavemore sensibly.

There is safety innumbers

Being in a crowd makes you feel moreconfident.

Time and tide wait forno man.

Delaying a decision will not preventevents from taking place.

Time has wings. Time goes by quickly.

Time is money. Time is valuable and should not bewasted.

To err is human, to It is human nature to make mistakes,


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forgive divine therefore one should forgive.

Too many cooks spoil

the broth.(Humoristic version :Too many clicks spoilthe browse!)

If too many people are involved insomething, it will not be done properly.

Too much bed makes a

dull head.

If you sleep too much, you are not able

to think clearly.

True friends are testedin adversity.

It's when you have problems that yourealize who your real friends are.

Trust not a horse's heelnor a dog's tooth.

Be careful of the reaction of animals.

Truth has no answer. You cannot argue against facts or refutewhat is true.

Truth is stranger than Events in real life are sometimes


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fiction. stranger than in fiction.

Two wrongs don't make

a right

It is wrong to harm someone because

they have harmed you.

U Union is strength.A group has more force than an

individual.

Unwillingness easilyfinds an excuse.

A person who doesn't want to do

something always finds a reason to avoidit.

VVariety is the spice oflife.

Doing a lot of different things makes lifemore interesting.

Virtue is its own reward. You should not expect praise for actingin a correct or moral way.


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W Walls have ears. Be careful. People could be listening.

Waste not, want not.If you never waste anything, you will

have it when you need it.

What the eye doesn'tsee, the heart doesn'tgrieveover.

If a person doesn't know aboutsomething, it cannot hurt them.

What a man says drunk,he thinks sober.

People speak more freely under theinfluence of alcohol.

What sobernessconceals, drunkennessreveals.

People are less discreet under theinfluence of alcohol.

When the cat's away,the mice play.

People misbehave when their boss, orthe person in authority, is absent.

When in Rome, do as You should adopt the customs of the


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the Romans do.people or country you are visiting,and behave in the same way.

When poverty come inthe door, love goes outthewindow.

Where there's life

there's hope.

Where there's a will,there's a way.

A person with determination will find away of doing something.

Who makes himself asheep will be eaten by

the wolves.

Possible interpretation: an easilyinfluenced person can be mislead.

Wisdom is better thanstrength.


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Wonders will nevercease!

Expresses surprise at an unexpectedpleasure or event (ironic).

Worry often gives asmall thing a bigshadow.

Worrying over small details can makethem seem worse.

Y You are what you eat.What you eat has an effect on your well-

being.

You are never too old tolearn.

You can lead a horse towater but you can't

make it drink.

You can offer someone an opportunityto do something but you can't force them.

You can't teach an olddog new tricks.

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


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You never know whatyou can do until you try.

Try first before deciding not to dosomething.

You scratch my backand I'll scratch yours.

You help me and I'll help you.

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