English Proverbs

English Proverbs and Proverb Humor
(revised 6 June 2003)
Proverbs
A stumble may prevent a fall
All good things come to those who wait
Everyone must row with the oars he has
Every path has its puddle
God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb
One of these days is none of these days
Revenge is a dish best served cold
Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow
See also Weather Proverbs (external)
Beauty without grace is like a hook without bait.
Contributed by Charon Muck, 26 Jan 2000
Caught between a rock and a hard place
Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea
(to be stuck with two choices that are both undesirable)
Out of the frying pan and into the fire
(to go from a bad to a worse situation)
Might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb
(if you're going to get into the same amount of trouble, you might as well commit the greater offense)
Six of one, half a dozen of the other
(each choice is really the same thing)
Two sides of the same coin
(two aspects of a situation that are connected by necessity)
In for a penny, in for a pound
(if you're going to make a minor committment you might as well make the entire committment)
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched
(don't start making plans for something until it is a reality, rather than a pleasant speculation)
Don't cross your bridges before you get to them
(don't worry about future problems before you need to)
A stitch in time saves nine
(if you take care of a problem while it's small you won't have a bigger problem to deal with later)
(or, as Dr. Who likes to say: A stitch in time takes up space)
Time and tide wait for no man
(act in a timely fashion because you can't get back lost chances)
(or, once again as Dr. Who likes to say: Time and tide melts the snowman.)
Contributed by Rebecca Loos, Spokane, Washington, 5 June 2000
To listen is to learn, and to understand is to inspire.
Contributed by Hannah Martinez, 5 February 2002
A lie well stuck to is as good as...