1000 English Proverbs and Sayings

1000 English Proverbs and Sayings 

 

 

1. A bad beginning makes a bad ending.

2. A bad corn promise is better than a good lawsuit.

3. A bad workman quarrels with his tools.

4. A bargain is a bargain.

5. A beggar can never be bankrupt.

6. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

7. A bird may be known by its song.

8. A black hen lays a white egg.

9. A blind leader of the blind.

10. A blind man would be glad to see.

11. A broken friendship may be soldered, but will never be sound.

12. A burden of one's own choice is not felt.

13. A burnt child dreads the fire.

14. A cat in gloves catches no mice.

15. A city that parleys is half gotten.

16. A civil denial is better than a rude grant.

17. A clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast.

18. A clean hand wants no washing.

19. A clear conscience laughs at false accusations.

20. A close mouth catches no flies.

21. A cock is valiant on his own dunghill.

22. A cracked bell can never sound well.

23. A creaking door hangs long on its hinges.

24. A curst cow has short horns.

25. A danger foreseen is half avoided.

26. A drop in the bucket.

27. A drowning man will catch at a straw.

28. A fair face may hide a foul heart.

29. A fault confessed is half redressed.

30. A fly in the ointment.

31. A fool always rushes to the fore.

32. A fool and his money are soon parted.

33. A fool at forty is a fool indeed.

34. A fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in seven

years.

35. A fool may throw a stone into a well which a hundred wise men cannot pull out.

36. A fool's tongue runs before his wit.

37. A forced kindness deserves no thanks.

38. A foul morn may turn to a fair day.

39. A fox is not taken twice in the same snare.

40. A friend in need is a friend indeed.  

43. A friend is never known till needed.

42. A friend to all is a friend to none.

43. A friend's frown is better than a foe's smile.

44. A good anvil does not fear the hammer.

45. A good beginning is half the battle.

46. A good beginning makes a good ending.

47. A good deed is never lost.

48. A good dog deserves a good bone.

49. A good example is the best sermon.

50. A good face is a letter of recommendation.

 

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51. A good Jack makes a good Jill.

52. A good marksman may miss.

53. A good name is better than riches.

54. A good name is sooner lost than won.

55. A good name keeps its lustre in the dark.

56. A good wife makes a good husband.

57. A great dowry is a bed full of brambles.

58. A great fortune is a great slavery.

59. A great ship asks deep waters.

60. A guilty conscience needs no accuser.

61. A hard nut to crack.

62. A heavy purse makes a light heart.

63. A hedge between keeps friendship green.

64. A honey tongue, a heart of gall.

65. A hungry belly has no ears.

66. A hungry man is an angry man.

67. A Jack of all trades is master of none.

68. A Joke never gains an enemy but often loses a friend.

69. A lawyer never goes to law himself.

70. A lazy sheep thinks its wool heavy.

71. A liar is not believed when he speaks the truth.

72. A lie begets a lie.

73. A light purse is a heavy curse.

74. A light purse makes a heavy heart.

75. A little body often harbours a great soul.

76. A little fire is quickly trodden out.

77. A man can die but once.

78. A man can do no more than he can.

79. A man is known by the company he keeps.

80. A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.

81. A miserly father makes a prodigal son.

82. A miss is as good as a mile.

83. A new broom sweeps clean.

84. A nod from a lord is a breakfast for a fool.

85. A penny saved is a penny gained.

86. A penny soul never came to twopence.

87. A quiet conscience sleeps in thunder.

88. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

89. A round peg in a square hole.

90. A shy cat makes a proud mouse.

91. A silent fool is counted wise.

92. A small leak will sink a great ship.

93. A soft answer turns away wrath.

94. A sound mind in a sound body.

95. A stitch in time saves nine.

96. A storm in a teacup.

97. A tattler is worse than a thief.

98. A thief knows a thief as a wolf knows a wolf.

99. A thief passes for a gentleman when stealing has made him rich.

100. A threatened blow is seldom given.

101. A tree is known by its fruit.

102. A wager is a fool's argument.

103. A watched pot never boils.

104. A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will.

105. A wolf in sheep's clothing.

106. A wonder lasts but nine days.

107. A word is enough to the wise.

108. A word spoken is past recalling.

109. Actions speak louder than words.

110. Adversity is a great schoolmaster.

 

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111. Adversity makes strange bedfellows.

112. After a storm comes a calm.

113. After dinner comes the reckoning.

114. After dinner sit (sleep) a while, after supper walk a mile.

115. After rain comes fair weather.

116. After us the deluge.

117. Agues come on horseback, but go away on foot.

118. All are good lasses, but whence come the bad wives?

119. All are not friends that speak us fair.

120. All are not hunters that blow the horn.

121. All are not merry that dance lightly.

122. All are not saints that go to church.

123. All asses wag their ears.

124. All bread is not baked in one oven.

125. All cats are grey in the dark (in the night).

126. All covet, all lose.

127. All doors open to courtesy.

128. All is fish that comes to his net.

129. All is not lost that is in peril.

130. All is well that ends well.

131. All lay load on the willing horse.

132. All men can't be first.

133. All men can't be masters.

134. All promises are either broken or kept.

135. All roads lead to Rome .

136. All sugar and honey.

137. All that glitters is not gold.

138. All things are difficult before they are easy.

139. All truths are not to be told.

140. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

141. "Almost" never killed a fly (was never hanged).

142. Among the blind the one-eyed man is king.

143. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

144. An ass in a lion's skin.

145. An ass is but an ass, though laden with gold.

146. An ass loaded with gold climbs to the top of the castle.

147. An empty hand is no lure for a hawk.

148. An empty sack cannot stand upright.

149. An empty vessel gives a greater sound than a full barrel.

150. An evil chance seldom comes alone.

 

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151. An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told.

152. An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening.

153. An idle brain is the devil's workshop.

154. An ill wound is cured, not an ill name.

155. An oak is not felled at one stroke.

156. An old dog barks not in vain.

157. An open door may tempt a saint.

158. An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of learning.

159. An ox is taken by the horns, and a man by the tongue.

160. An unfortunate man would be drowned in a teacup.

161. Anger and haste hinder good counsel.

162. Any port in a storm.

163. Appearances are deceitful.

164. Appetite comes with eating.

165. As drunk as a lord.

166. As innocent as a babe unborn.

167. As like as an apple to an oyster.

168. As like as two peas.

169. As old as the hills.

170. As plain as the nose on a man's face.

171. As plain as two and two make four.

172. As snug as a bug in a rug .

173. As sure as eggs is eggs.

174. As the call, so the echo.

175. As the fool thinks, so the bell clinks.

176. As the old cock crows, so does the young.

177. As the tree falls, so shall it lie.

178. As the tree, so the fruit.

179. As welcome as flowers in May.

180. As welcome as water in one's shoes.

181. As well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.

182. As you brew, so must you drink.

183. As you make your bed, so must you lie on it.

184. As you sow, so shall you reap.

185. Ask no questions and you will be told no lies.

186. At the ends of the earth.

187. Bacchus has drowned more men than Neptune .

188. Bad news has wings.

189. Barking does seldom bite.

190. Be slow to promise and quick to perform.

191. Be swift to hear, slow to speak.

192. Beauty is but skin-deep.

193. Beauty lies in lover's eyes.

194. Before one can say Jack Robinson.

195. Before you make a friend eat a bushel of salt="http://www.wowmails.com" new1 with him.

196. Beggars cannot be choosers.

197. Believe not all that you see nor half what you hear.

198. Best defence is offence.

199. Better a glorious death than a shameful life.

200. Better a lean peace than a fat victory.

 

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201. Better a little fire to warm us, than a great one to burn us.

202. Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.

203. Better an open enemy than a false friend.

204. Better be alone than in bad company.

205. Better be born lucky than rich.

206. Better be envied than pitied.

207. Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.

208. Better deny at once than promise long.

209. Better die standing than live kneeling.

210. Better early than late.

211. Better give a shilling than lend a half-crown.

212. Better go to bed supperless than rise in debt.

213. Better late than never.

214. Better lose a jest than a friend.

215. Better one-eyed than stone-blind.

216. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

217. Better the foot slip than the tongue.

218. Better to do well than to say well.

219. Better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven.

220. Better unborn than untaught.

221. Better untaught than ill-taught.

222. Between the cup and the lip a morsel may slip.

223. Between the devil and the deep (blue) sea.

224. Between two evils 'tis not worth choosing.

225. Between two stools one goes (falls) to the ground.

226. Between the upper and nether millstone.

227. Betwixt and between.

228. Beware of a silent dog and still water.

229. Bind the sack before it be full.

230. Birds of a feather flock together.

231. Blind men can judge no colours.

232. Blood is thicker than water.

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