Index of English Proverbs

A

Absents always wrong,

Ace, within an,

Adam delved and Eve span, when, ,

Adversity makes man wise,

Against the grain,

Akimbo, to put one’s arms,

Ale is in, wit is out,

All is not gold that glitters,

All men are not alike,

All’s well that ends well, ,

All work and no play,

Almost and very nigh,

Ambush,

Among the blind, one-eyed is king,

And the rest!

Answer a fool according to his folly,

Appearances, for the sake of,

Appetite, good,

April fool,

Arm in arm,

As you make your bed, ,

At first sight,

Average, on an, ,

Awkward fix, to get out of an,

B

Background, to put in,

Back made for burden,

Bad day, bad night,

Bad thing never dies,

Bag and baggage,

Band-box, come out of a,

Bark worse than bite,

Bay, to be at,

Beak and claw,

Beat about the bush, to, , , ,

Beat black and blue, ,

Beat hollow, to,

Bedlam let loose,

Bee in one’s bonnet,

Beer, no small, of oneself,

Beggars cannot be choosers,

Beginning not everything,

Behind the scenes,

Bell the cat, to, ,

Best cheapest in the end,

Best of friends must part,

Be the day short,

Better dry bread at home,

Better late than never,

Better the day, better the deed, ,

Between devil and deep sea,

Between ourselves,

Between two stools,

B from a bull’s foot, not to know,

Bigwig,

Billingsgate,

Bird fouls its own nest, an ill,

Bird in hand,

Birds flown, to find the, ,

Birds of a feather, ,

Bird that catches the worm, ,

Bird told me so, a little,

Bit by bit,

Biter bit, the, ,

Black eyes, a couple of,

Blood from a stone, to get,

Blow brains out, , ,

Blues, to have the,

Boat, to be in same,

Bone to pick, to have a,

Bore,

Born to be hanged, never drowned,

Borrowing sorrowing,

Bow to circumstances, ,

Boycott, to,

Boys will be boys,

Brand new,

Bread is buttered, which side,

Bred in the bone, what is, ,

Broken reed,

Broom sweeps clean, a new, ,

Bull by the horns, to seize the,

Burn candle at both ends,

Burnt child dreads the fire,

Business, to mind one’s own,

Business is business,

Butter would not melt in mouth,

Bygones be bygones, to let, ,

C

Cake and eat it, to have one’s, ,

Cake, to take the, , ,

Candles away, all cats grey,

Cap a story,

Cap fits, wear it, if the, ,

Carpenter known by chips,

Carry coals to Newcastle,

Cart before horse, to put the,

Cast in the teeth, to,

Castles in the air,

Cat after kind,

Cat and dog life, to lead a,

Catch it, to, ,

Cat may look at a king,

Cat on hot bricks,

Cat’s away, mice will play,

Caught a Tartar, to have,

Chaff, to catch with,

Chalk and cheese,

Chalk it up,

Change not a clout,

Charity begins at home,

Chatterbox, a regular, ,

Cheats never prosper,

Chip of the old block, ,

Christmas comes but once a year, ,

Civility costs nothing, ,

Claw me, and I’ll claw thee,

Clean as a whistle,

Clean sweep,

Clear as noonday,

Clear as crystal,

Clockwork, like,

Cloud and a silver lining,

Clover, to be in,

Coach-and-four through Act of Parliament,

Coat does not make gentleman,

Cobbler stick to last, let,

Cock and bull story,

Cock of the walk,

Cold shoulder,

Come off cheap,

Come to blows,

Come to the point, ,

Coming—like Christmas,

Comparisons are odious,

Confession good for soul,

Cost what it may,

Count chickens before hatched, 70, ,

Cram,

Cramming-shop,

Creaking door hangs long, ,

Cream of the army,

Crown his misfortune, to, ,

Crumb and crust,

Cry out before hurt,

Cry over spilt milk,

Curses come home to roost, ,

Cut coat according to cloth,

Cut ground under feet,

Cut long story short,

D

Daggers drawn, at,

Dance attendance to, ,

Dark as pitch,

Dark side of picture, ,

Daub yourself with honey,

Day after the fair,

Dead man, he is a,

Dead men’s shoes,

Dead men tell no tales,

Deaf as a post, as,

Death’s door, at, ,

Devil and deep sea, between, ,

Devil not so black as painted,

Devil’s own luck,

Devil was sick,

Diamond cut diamond, , ,

Die in the gutter,

Die is cast,

Dine with Duke Humphrey,

Dirt cheap,

Discretion better part of valour,

Disgorge ill-gotten gains,

Distance lends enchantment,

Do a thing yourself,

Dog at a wedding,

Dog bad name and hang,

Dog better than dead lion, a living,

Dog does not eat dog, ,

Dog has his day, every,

Dog in manger,

Dog’s-ear a book,

Dog will learn no tricks, an old,

Done cannot be undone,

Doomsday, to wait till,

Door with creaking hinge,

Down in the mouth,

Down to the ground,

Do your duty,

Dover Court,

Draught, to be in a,

Draught, to drink at a,

Draw in one’s horns, to,

Dreams go by contraries,

Drink at one gulp,

Drink cup to dregs,

Drink like a fish,

Drop in the ocean,

Drop too much, to have a,

Dropping water wears away a stone,

Drowning man catches at a straw,

Drown the miller,

Ducks and drakes, to play,

Dull as ditchwater, ,

E

Early to bed and early to rise,

Easier said than done,

East, west, home best,

Edged tools, to play with,

Edge off one’s appetite, to take,

Eel, as slippery as an,

Elbow one’s way,

Elbow-room,

End crowns all, ,

End justifies the means,

End to everything, ,

English, in plain,

Englishman’s house his castle,

Enough is as good as a feast,

Errors excepted,

Even money,

Ever drunk ever dry,

Everybody’s business,

Every dog has his day,

Every inch a republican,

Every Jack must have his Jill,

Every little helps,

Every man for himself, ,

Everything comes man who waits,

Extempore, to speak,

Extremes meet,

Eye to main chance,

F

Face the music,

Face is her fortune,

Faint heart never won fair lady,

Fair and softly goes far,

Fair words butter no parsnips,

Fair words never did harm,

Fall between two stools, to,

Familiarity breeds contempt,

Far fetched,

Fault confessed, half redressed,

Feather one’s nest, to, ,

Findings keepings,

Fine clothes do not fill stomach,

Fine feathers make fine birds,

Finishing stroke,

Finger in every pie,

First catch your hare,

First come, first served, ,

First in the field,

Fish, flesh, nor fowl,

Fish in troubled waters,

Fish out of water, like a,

Fish to fry, other,

Fit to a T,

Fits and starts, to work by, , ,

Fix, to be in a, ,

Flash in the pan,

Flesh and blood, in,

Flesh creep, to make one’s,

Fool’s bolt is soon shot, a,

Fools have the best luck,

Foot foremost, to put one’s best,

Foot in it, to put one’s,

Forewarned, forearmed,

Fortune knocks once,

Fox to keep the geese, to set,

Free and easy, ,

French leave, to take,

Friend at court,

Friend in need is a friend indeed, ,

Frying-pan into the fire, to fall from, , ,

Fuel to the fire, to add,

Funky, to be,

G

Game not worth candle,

Gentlemanly,

Get blood from a stone,

Get out of bed the wrong side,

Gift-horse in the mouth, to look at, ,

Gift of the gab,

Gild the pill,

Give any one the slip,

Give him an inch,

Give the devil his due,

Give twice who gives quickly,

Glass houses throw stones,

God helps those who help themselves,

God sends thread for begun web,

God tempers the wind,

Go halves,

Golden mean,

Good as done, ,

Good as gold, as,

Good books, to be in one’s,

Good breeding always tells,

Good name better than riches,

Good wine needs no bush, ,

Gordian knot, to cut,

Gospel, to take anything for,

Go to Jericho,

Grandmother to suck eggs, ,

Grapes are sour,

Grasp all, lose all,

Great cry, little wool,

Great wits jump together,

Greek to him, it is,

Grey mare the better horse, ,

Grist to the mill,

Grudge the food he eats,

Grudge, to have a,

Guilty conscience needs no accuser, ,

H

Habit is second nature,

Hackneyed,

Hail-fellow-well-met, ,

Hairs, to split,

Hale and hearty,

Half a loaf is better than no bread, ,

Half in jest, half in earnest,

Half seas over,

Hall marked,

Hand and glove together, , ,

Hands make light work, many,

Hand to hand,

Hand to mouth, to live from,

Hanged for a sheep as a lamb, , ,

Happen what may, ,

Hard up, ,

Harm watch, harm catch,

Harp on same string, ,

Haste makes waste,

Haul over the coals,

Hawk from handsaw, not to know,

Heads or tails,

Hear both sides,

Helping hand, to give a, ,

Helve after hatchet,

He who will not when he may,

Hiding, to give a good,

High winds blow on high hills,

Hint, to take a,

Hit the mark,

Hit with a vengeance,

Holloa before out of wood,

Home, no place like, ,

Home, to make oneself at,

Honest man’s word, ,

Honesty is the best policy,

Honour among thieves,

Honour to whom honour is due, ,

Hook or crook,

Hooligan,

Hope, the last,

Horse of another colour, ,

Horse to grass, to send a,

Horse, to ride the high,

Host, to reckon without, ,

House nor home,

H’s, to drop one’s,

Hue and cry,

Hunger is the best sauce,

Hunger tames the lion,

Hungry as a hunter,

Hungry man is an angry man,

Hurry the less speed, the more,

I

Idle brain the devil’s workshop,

If wishes were horses, ,

Ill bird fouls its own nest,

Ill-licked cub,

Ill news flies fast,

Ill weeds grow apace,

Ill wind blows no one good, ,

Image of his mother, the very, ,

Improve upon acquaintance, to,

Indian file,

In for a penny, in for a pound, ,

Ins and outs, to know, ,

In vino veritas,

Irishman’s gun,

Irons in fire, too many, ,

J

Jack has his Jill, every,

Jack of all trades, ,

Jerry-built house,

Joke, to be beyond a, ,

Joker, a dry,

Judge by appearances,

Justice no respecter of persons,

K

Keep a dog and bark thyself,

Keep open house,

Keep the ball rolling,

Keep the pot boiling,

Key of the street,

Kick the bucket,

Kill by inches, to,

Killed on the spot,

Kill two birds, to, ,

Know from Adam, not to,

Know, in the,

Knowledge is power,

Know nothing, doubt nothing,

Knuckle under, to,

L

Lady, a great,

Last straw breaks camel’s back, ,

Laugh best who laugh last,

Laugh in forced manner,

Laughing-stock,

Laugh in one’s sleeve, ,

Laugh on wrong side of face,

Laugh to-day, cry to-morrow,

Lazy people take most pains,

Least said soonest mended,

Leave no stone unturned, ,

Leave well alone, ,

Leave without beat of drum,

Legal tender,

Let cat out of the bag,

Let sleeping dogs lie,

Let those laugh who win,

Lie unblushingly,

Life and soul of party,

Life in the old dog yet,

Light as air,

Lightly come, lightly go,

Like as two peas, as,

Like master, like man, ,

Like sire, like son, ,

Like will to like,

Lion had need of the mouse,

Lion’s mouth, to rush into,

Little fellows are often great wits,

Little pitchers have long ears,

Little pot soon hot,

Little rain lays much dust,

Little strokes fell great oaks,

Loan loses self and friend,

Lock stable door,

Long lane without turning,

Long looked for comes at last,

Look before you leap,

Look gift-horse in mouth, ,

Look sharp about it!

Lose nothing for want of asking,

Lose one’s head,

Lot of good that will do,

Love dies hard, true,

Love laughs at locksmiths,

Love me, love my dog,

Lurch, to leave in the,

M

Mackerel sky,

Mad as a March hare, ,

Make a cat laugh,

Make best of bad job, , ,

Make hay while sun shines,

Make mouth water,

Man in the street,

Man proposes,

Manners change,

Many a little makes a mickle, , , ,

Many a true word spoken in jest,

March winds and April showers,

Mare better horse, the grey, ,

Mare’s nest, to find a,

Marines, to tell to,

Mar-joy,

Match for a person, no,

Matter of course,

Measure other’s peck,

Men die as they live,

Mess, to get into a, , ,

Mess, to make a pretty,

Might is right, ,

Milk and honey, flowing with,

Milksop,

Mince matters, not to, ,

Mincemeat of, to make,

Miserly father, spendthrift son,

Misfortunes never come singly, ,

Miss the mark,

Money makes money,

Money, to be made of,

Money, ready,

Moon made of green cheese,

More frightened than hurt,

More haste, less speed, , , ,

More the merrier, the,

Mountain out of molehill, ,

Move on,

Mow what you sow,

Much ado about nothing,

Much coin, much care,

Much would have more, ,

Murder king’s English, to,

N

Nail right on head, to hit, ,

Narrow shave,

Nearer church, ,

Necessity, mother of invention,

Needle in bundle of hay,

Nice goings on,

Nick of time, to come in, , ,

Nine days’ wonder,

No admittance,

Noble to ninepence, to bring,

No danger, no glory,

No fear of that,

No living man all things can,

Nod is as good as wink to blind horse,

None so deaf, ,

No pay, no piper,

No sooner said than done,

Not at home,

Nothing ask, nothing have,

Nothing for nothing,

Nothing succeeds like success,

Nothing like leather,

Nothing new, that is,

Nothing venture, nothing win,

No thoroughfare,

No use my talking, ,

Not in my line,

Not up to date,

Now or never,

O

Oath, to take the,

Ogre, to eat like an,

Old as the hills, , ,

Old birds not caught with chaff,

Old dog will learn no tricks,

Old-fashioned, quite,

Old maid,

Old wives’ tales,

Once and for all, ,

Once bit, twice shy, ,

Once in a blue moon,

One door shuts, another opens,

One good turn deserves another, ,

One man can take horse to water,

One man may steal a horse,

One man’s meat,

One scabby sheep,

One swallow does not make a summer,

Only this once,

Open confession good for soul,

Opportunity makes the thief,

Out-Herod Herod,

Out of debt, out of danger,

Out of print,

Out of sight, out of mind,

Out of sorts, ,

Out of the frying-pan,

Out of world as out of fashion,

Over head and ears,

P

P’s and Q’s, to mind one’s,

Pack becomes small pedlar, a small,

Pay back in own coin, to,

Pay, no piper, no,

Pay the piper, to,

Pay with promises,

Pearls before swine, to cast,

Penniless, to be, ,

Penny saved is a penny earned, ,

Penny wise and pound foolish, ,

Peril proves who dearly loves,

Pet aversion,

Pickle, to be in a pretty, ,

Pigeon-holed, to be,

Pig in a poke, to buy a,

Pin a day, groat a year,

Pinch of salt,

Pin drop, to hear a,

Pins and needles, to be on,

Piper, to pay the, ,

Pitch and toss,

Pitch, to touch,

Pitcher that often goes to the well,

Plain as a pikestaff,

Plain English, in, ,

Play the prude,

Please the eye, fill the purse,

Plenty makes dainty,

Poaches on my preserves,

Pocket an insult, to,

Point-blank, ,

Point, not to the, ,

Point, to come to the, ,

Poor as a church mouse,

Possession nine points of law,

Pot calls kettle black, ,

Pot-luck,

Pot soon hot, a little,

Poverty in at door love out at window,

Poverty is no crime,

Practice makes perfect, ,

Practise what one preaches, to,

Precepts lead,

Precious near it,

Precious pair, a,

Prefer advice to praise,

Prettiness makes no pottage,

Prig,

Promises are like pie-crust,

Proud as a peacock,

Put shoulder to wheel,

Q

Quarrel about nothing, to,

Queen Anne is dead,

Queer fish, ,

Quite between ourselves,

R

Racket, to stand the, ,

Rage, to be the, ,

Rap, not worth a,

Reach-me-down, a,

Receiver as bad as thief, ,

Red at night the shepherd’s delight,

Red-handed,

Reed, to trust to a broken,

Refuse point-blank,

Regular as clockwork, ,

Repent at leisure,

Return of post,

Return to our subject,

Riches, a good name better than,

Ride rough-shod over,

Ring down the curtain,

Rob a church, he would,

Rob Peter to pay Paul,

Rod in pickle, to keep a,

Roland for an Oliver, ,

Rolling stone gathers no moss,

Rome was not built in a day, ,

Room for improvement,

Room to swing a cat in, not,

Rose has its thorn, every,

Rough tools for rough work,

Rough with smooth, to take,

Rough with the smooth, to take,

Routine, return to old,

Row in same boat,

Rub, there’s the, , ,

Rule men with rod of iron,

Rule of thumb,

Ruling passion strong in death,

Run for your lives,

Run headlong into trap,

Run with hare and hunt with hounds, ,

S

Sack, to give any one the,

Safe bind, safe find,

Saintly look, to put on a,

Saint Swithin’s Day,

Salt, not worth his,

Salt on bird’s tail, to put,

Same old story,

Satan finds mischief still,

Save appearances, to,

Sea-legs, to have one’s,

Secret, an open,

Secret of two,

See stars, to, ,

Self-praise no recommendation,

Sell like wildfire,

Send about one’s business,

Serves you right, it, , , ,

Set a beggar on horseback,

Set a thief to catch a thief,

Set fox to keep geese,

Seven-league boots,

Shakes, no great,

Shanks’ nag,

Sharp as a needle, as,

Sheep, the black,

Shelf, to be put on the,

Shilly-shallying,

Shine at wrong end, to,

Shirk work, never,

Shoe lost for want of nail,

Shoemaker’s wife the worst shod,

Shoe pinches, where the,

Shoot the moon, , ,

Short life and merry, ,

Short reckonings make long friends,

Shoulder, the cold,

Show the white feather,

Sick and tired of anything,

Silence gives consent, ,

Silent sow sucks wash,

Silk purse out of sow’s ear,

Silks and satins put out the kitchen fire,

Silver spoon in one’s mouth,

Sin, as ugly as,

Six of one and half-a-dozen of another,

Sixes and sevens, ,

Skeleton in the cupboard,

Skin a flint, to,

Sleep like a top, to,

Sleep upon it, to,

Slippery as an eel,

Slow and sure wins the race, ,

Sly dog, , ,

Small parcels, fine wares, ,

Smart for it,

Smell of the lamp,

Smoke, to end in,

Smoke without fire, no,

Snake in the grass,

So many men,

So much to the good,

Song, to buy for a mere,

Sooner the better,

So-so,

Sowing wild oats,

Sow by wrong ear,

Spade a spade, to call a, ,

Spare the rod, spoil the child,

Speak ill in absence,

Speak of angels,

Speech silvern, silence golden,

Split difference, to,

Split hairs,

Split sides with laughter,

Spoil ship for ha’porth of tar,

Spoke in wheel, to put,

Sprat to catch a herring, ,

Stand the racket,

Stake, your life is at, ,

Stale news,

Stare in the face, to, ,

Stick no bills, ,

Stick, to get hold of wrong end of,

Still tongue, wise head,

Still waters run deep,

Sting is in the tail,

Stirrup-cup,

Stitch in time saves nine,

Stolen joys are sweet, ,

Stone unturned, to leave no,

Store is no sore,

Strain at a gnat,

Strain every nerve, to, ,

Straw breaks camel’s back, the last,

Straw, not to care a, ,

Stretch one’s legs,

Strike while iron is hot,

String to bow, more than one, ,

Struck all of a heap,

Stuck pigs, to look like,

Stuff and nonsense, all, ,

Style man himself,

Success justifies the means,

Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof,

Sunday-best,

Sweep, to make a clean,

T

Tail between legs,

Take after a person, to,

Take care of the pence,

Take it or leave it, ,

Take law into own hands,

Take the wall,

Take time by forelock, ,

Take a wise man to be a fool,

Tale never loses in telling,

Talking to the air,

Tastes differ,

Tell that to the marines,

Tender-handed stroke a nettle,

Tether, to be at end of,

Thames on fire, to set the,

That crowns all,

That’s the way of the world,

There is many a slip,

Thick as thieves,

Things, where are my,

Thorns, to be on,

Those who lose pay,

Threats light as air,

Time is money,

Tip the porter,

Tip-top,

Tit-bit,

Tit for tat,

Tom, Dick, and Harry,

Too many cooks spoil broth,

Too much of a good thing,

Topsy-turvy, ,

Travellers tell fine tales,

Trespassers will be prosecuted,

Tricks, to be at one’s old,

Truth stranger than fiction,

Truth will out, ,

Turn in all standing,

Turn over new leaf,

Turn to play,

Two can play at that game,

Two heads better than one,

Two of a trade,

Two’s company,

U

Up to date,

Up to-day, down to-morrow,

V

Vengeance, to rain with a,

Verbum sap., , ,

Very man, the,

W

Watched pot never boils,

Water off duck’s back,

Water one’s wine, to,

Weakest go to the wall,

Week of Sundays,

Well begun is half done,

Well, I never!

Wet blanket,

Wet to the skin,

What a to-do,

What cannot be cured,

What is done cannot be undone,

What is one man’s meat,

When at Rome do as Rome does,

When Greeks joined Greeks,

When in doubt,

When thieves fall out,

When world was young,

Where there’s a will, ,

While there’s life,

Whip-hand, ,

Whistling woman,

White elephant,

Wholesale and retail,

Whole show,

Who lives longest sees most,

Wild horses would not make him speak,

Wilful waste makes woeful want,

Will is as good as deed, ,

Willy-nilly,

Wind and weather permitting,

Wishes were horses, if, ,

Wish is father to thought,

Woman’s instinct,

Word to the wise, a, , ,

Work like a nigger,

Workman blames tools, a bad,

Worst come to worst,

Worst wheel makes most noise,

Worth his weight in gold,

Worth a brass farthing, not,

Wrong end of stick,

Y

Yellow as a guinea,

THE END

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