Here’s a list of most of the commonly-used English proverbs, with links to the meaning and origin of many of them.
A bad penny always turns upA barking dog never bitesA bird in the hand is worth two in the bushA cat may look at a kingA chain is only as strong as its weakest linkA change is as good as a restA dog is a man’s best friendA drowning man will clutch at a strawA fish always rots from the head downA fool and his money are soon partedA friend in need is a friend indeedA golden key can open any doorA good beginning makes a good endingA good man is hard to findA house divided against itself cannot standA house is not a homeA journey of a thousand miles begins with a single stepA leopard cannot change its spotsA little knowledge is a dangerous thingA little learning is a dangerous thingA little of what you fancy does you goodA man is known by his friends
A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for his clientA miss is as good as a mileA new broom sweeps clean
A nod’s as good as a wink to a blind horseA penny saved is a penny earnedA person is known by the company he keeps
A picture paints a thousand wordsA place for everything and everything in its placeA poor workman always blames his tools
A problem shared is a problem halvedA prophet is not recognized in his own land
A rising tide lifts all boatsA rolling stone gathers no mossA soft answer turneth away wrath
A stitch in time saves nineA swarm in May is worth a load of hay; a swarm in June is worth a silver spoon; but a swarm in July is not worth a fly
A thing of beauty is a joy foreverA time and a place for everything – There’s
A trouble shared is a trouble halved
A volunteer is worth twenty pressed men
A watched pot never boilsA woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke
A woman’s place is in the homeA woman’s work is never done
A word to the wise is enough
Absence makes the heart grow fonderAbsolute power corrupts absolutelyAccidents will happen (in the best-regulated families).
Actions speak louder than wordsAdversity makes strange bedfellowsAfter a storm comes a calm
Age of miracles is past – The
Ain’t over till the fat lady sings – It
All good things come to he who waitsAll good things must come to an end
All is grist that comes to the millAll publicity is good publicityAll roads lead to Rome
All that glisters is not goldAll that glitters is not goldAll the world loves a lover
All things come to those that waitAll things must passAll work and no play makes Jack a dull boyAll you need is love
All’s fair in love and warAll’s for the best in the best of all possible worlds
All’s well that ends wellA miss is as good as a mileAn apple a day keeps the doctor awayAn army marches on its stomach
An Englishman’s home is his castleAn exception to every rule – There’s
Always more fish in the sea – There’s
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a toothAn ill wind that blows no one any good – It’s
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Another day, another dollarAny port in a stormAppearances can be deceptive
Apple a day keeps the doctor away – An
Apple never falls far from the tree – The
April is the cruellest month
April showers bring forth May flowers
Army marches on its stomach – An
As thick as thievesAs you make your bed, so you must lie upon it
As you sow so shall you reapAshes to ashes dust to dustAsk a silly question and you’ll get a silly answerAsk no questions and hear no lies
Attack is the best form of defenceBad money drives out goodBad news travels fastBad penny always turns up – A
Barking dog never bites – A
Be careful what you wish for
Beat swords into ploughsharesBeauty is in the eye of the beholderBeauty is only skin deepBeggars should not be choosersBehind every great man there’s a great womanBest defence is a good offence – The
Best is the enemy of the good – The
Best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley – The
Best things in life are free – The
Better late than neverBetter safe than sorry
Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don’t
Best to be on the safe side – It’s
Better to give than to receive – It’s
Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all – It’s
Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness – It’s
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool that to speak and remove all doubt
Better to travel hopefully than to arrive – It’s
Between two stools one falls to the groundBeware of Greeks bearing giftsBeware the Ides of MarchBig fish eat little fish
Big fleas have little fleas upon their back to bite ’emBigger, the better – The
Bigger they are, the harder they fall – The
Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – A
Birds of a feather flock togetherBlessed are the peacemakersBlood is thicker than waterBlue are the hills that are far away
Bottom line is the bottom line – The
Boy is father to the man – The
Boys will be boysBread always falls buttered side downBrevity is the soul of witBuild a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your doorBusiness before pleasure
Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion
Carpe diem (Pluck the day; Seize the day)
Cat may look at a king – A
Chain is only as strong as its weakest link – A
Change is as good as a rest – A
Charity begins at homeCharity covers a multitude of sins
Cheaters never win and winners never cheat
Cheats never prosper
Child is father to the man – The
Children and fools tell the truth
Children should be seen and not heardChristmas comes but once a year
Cleanliness is next to godlinessClothes maketh the man
Cobbler always wears the worst shoes – The
Cold hands, warm heart
Comparisons are odiousCount your blessings
Course of true love never did run smooth – The
Cowards may die many times before their death
Crime doesn’t payCuriosity killed the catCustomer is always right – The
Cut your coat to suit your cloth
Darkest hour is just before the dawn – The
Dead men tell no tales
Devil is in the details – The
Devil looks after his own – The
Devil makes work for idle hands to do – The
Devil take the hindmost – The
Different strokes for different folksDiscretion is the better part of valourDistance lends enchantment to the view
Do as I say, not as I do
Do as you would be done byDo unto others as you would have them do to youDog is a man’s best friend – A
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you
Don’t burn your bridges behind you
Don’t cast your pearls before swineDon’t change horses in midstreamDon’t count your chickens before they are hatchedDon’t cross the bridge till you come to it
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your faceDon’t get mad, get evenDon’t get your knickers in a twistDon’t keep a dog and bark yourselfDon’t leave your manners on the doorstep
Don’t let the bastards grind you downDon’t let the cat out of the bagDon’t let the grass grow under your feetDon’t look a gift horse in the mouthDon’t meet troubles half-way
Don’t mix business with pleasure
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Don’t put the cart before the horseDon’t put new wine into old bottles
Don’t rock the boat
Don’t shoot the messenger
Don’t spoil the ship for a ha’porth of tar
Don’t shut the stable door after the horse has boltedDon’t sweat the small stuff
Don’t throw pearls to swine
Don’t teach your Grandma to suck eggsDon’t throw good money after badDon’t throw the baby out with the bathwaterDon’t trust anyone over thirty
Don’t try to run before you can walk
Don’t try to walk before you can crawl
Don’t upset the apple-cartDon’t wash your dirty linen in publicDoubt is the beginning not the end of wisdom
Drowning man will clutch at a straw – A
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wiseEach to their own
Early bird catches the worm – The
East is east, and west is west
East, west, home’s bestEasy come, easy go
Easy to be wise after the event – It’s
Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we dieEmpty vessels make the most noise
End justifies the means – The
English are a nation of shopkeepers – The
Englishman’s home is his castle – An
Enough is as good as a feastEnough is enoughEven a worm will turnEvery cloud has a silver liningEvery dog has its dayEvery little helps
Every man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost
Every man has his priceEvery picture tells a story
Every stick has two ends
Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die
Everything comes to him who waits
Exception which proves the rule – The
Eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth – An
Failing to plan is planning to failFaint heart never won fair lady
Fair exchange is no robberyFaith will move mountainsFamiliarity breeds contemptFat is in the fire – The
Feed a cold and starve a fever
Female of the species is more deadly than the male – The
Fight fire with fireFight the good fightFinders keepers, losers weepers
Fine words butter no parsnipsFire is a good servant but a bad master
First come, first served
First impressions are the most lasting
First things first
Fish always stink from the head downFish and guests smell after three days
Flattery will get you nowhere
Fool and his money are soon parted – A
Fools rush in where angels fear to treadFor everything there is a seasonFor want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the man was lost
Forewarned is forearmedForgive and forget
Fortune favours the brave
Friend in need is a friend indeed – A
From the sublime to the ridiculous is only one step
Genius is an infinite capacity for taking painsGenius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspirationGive a man a fish and you will feed him for a day…
Give a dog a bad name and hang him
Give a man enough rope and he will hang himself
Give credit where credit is due
Give the Devil his dueGo the extra mile
God helps those who help themselves
Goes without saying – It
Golden key can open any door – A
Good beginning makes a good ending – A
Good die young – The
Good fences make good neighboursGood man is hard to find – A
Good talk saves the food
Good things come in small packages
Good things come to those that waitGrass is always greener on the other side of the fence – The
Great minds think alikeGreat oaks from little acorns growHalf a loaf is better than no breadHand that rocks the cradle rules the world – The
Handsome is as handsome does
Hard cases make bad lawHard work never did anyone any harm
Haste makes wasteHe that goes a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing
He who can does, he who cannot, teachesHe who fights and runs away, may live to fight another day
He who hesitates is lost
He who laughs last laughs longestHe who lives by the sword shall die by the sword
He who pays the piper calls the tune
He who sups with the devil should have a long spoonHear all, see all, say nowt, tak’ all, keep all, gie nowt, and if tha ever does owt for nowt do it for thysen
Hell hath no fury like a woman scornedHindsight is always twenty-twenty
History repeats itself
Hold with the hare and run with the hounds – You can’t
Home is where the heart isHonesty is the best policyHoney catches more flies than vinegarHonour among thieves – There’s
Hope springs eternal
Horses for courses
House divided against itself cannot stand – A
House is not a home – A
Husband is always the last to know – The
If anything can go wrong, it willIf a job is worth doing it is worth doing well
If at first you don’t succeed try, try and try again
If God had meant us to fly he’d have given us wings
If ifs and ands were pots and pans there’d be no work for tinkers
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix itIf life deals you lemons, make lemonade
If the cap fits, wear itIf the mountain won’t come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountainIf the shoe fits, wear itIf wishes were horses, beggars would rideIf you build it they will come
If you can’t be good, be careful
If you can’t beat em, join em
If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchenIf you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleasIf you pay peanuts, you get monkeys
If you want a thing done well, do it yourself
Ignorance is bliss
Imitation is the sincerest form of flatteryIn for a penny, in for a pound
In the kingdom of the blind the one eyed man is king
In the midst of life we are in death
Into every life a little rain must fall
It ain’t over till the fat lady singsIt goes without saying
It never rains but it poursIt takes a thief to catch a thief
It takes all sorts to make a world
It takes one to know one
It takes two to tango
It’s all grist to the millIt’s an ill wind that blows no one any goodIt’s best to be on the safe side
It’s better to give than to receiveIt’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at allIt’s better to light a candle than curse the darknessIt’s better to travel hopefully than to arriveIt’s easy to be wise after the event
It’s never too late
It’s no use crying over spilt milk
It’s no use shutting the stable door after the horse has boltedIt’s the early bird that catches the wormIt’s the empty can that makes the most noise
It’s the singer not the song
It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease
Jack of all trades, master of noneJam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never jam todayJourney of a thousand miles begins with a single step – A
Judge not, that ye be not judged
Keep your chin upKeep your friends close and your enemies closer
Keep your powder dryKnow which side your bread is butteredLabourer is worthy of his hire – The
Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone
Laughter is the best medicine
Law is an ass – The
Least said, soonest mended
Leopard cannot change its spots – A
Less is moreLet bygones be bygonesLet not the sun go down on your wrathLet sleeping dogs lieLet the buyer bewareLet the dead bury the dead
Let the punishment fit the crime
Let well alone
Life begins at fortyLife is just a bowl of cherries
Life is what you make it
Life’s not all beer and skittlesLightning never strikes twice in the same place
Like father, like son
Little knowledge is a dangerous thing – A
Little learning is a dangerous thing – A
Little of what you fancy does you good – A
Little pitchers have big earsLittle strokes fell great oaks
Little things please little minds
Live and learn
Live and let live
Live for today for tomorrow never comes
Longest journey starts with a single step – The
Look before you leapLove of money is the root of all evilLove is blindLove makes the world go round
Love thy neighbour as thyselfLove will find a way
Make hay while the sun shinesMake haste slowly
Make love not war
Man does not live by bread aloneMan is known by his friends – A
Man who is his own lawyer has a fool for his client – A
Manners maketh man
Many a good tune played on an old fiddle – There’s
Many a little makes a mickleMany a mickle makes a muckleMany a slip ‘twixt cup and lip – There’s
Many a true word is spoken in jestMany are called but few are chosenMany hands make light work
March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb
March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers
Marriages are made in heaven
Marry in haste, repent at leisureMight is right
Mighty oaks from little acorns growMisery loves company
Miss is as good as a mile – A
Moderation in all things
Monday’s child is fair of face
Money doesn’t grow on trees
Money is the root of all evilMoney isn’t everything
Money makes the world go round
Money talks
More haste, less speedMore the merrier – The
More things change, the more they stay the same – The
More ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream – There are
Music has charms to soothe the savage breastNature abhors a vacuum
Necessity is the mother of inventionNeeds must when the devil drivesNe’er cast a clout till May be outNever give a sucker an even breakNever go to bed on an argument
Never judge a book by its cover
Never let the sun go down on your anger
Never look a gift horse in the mouthNever put off until tomorrow what you can do today
Never rains but it pours – It
Never speak ill of the dead
Never tell tales out of school
Never too late – It’s
New broom sweeps clean – A
Nine tailors make a man
No accounting for tastes – There’s
No fool like an old fool – There’s
No man can serve two masters
No man is an islandNo names, no pack-drillNo news is good news
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent
No pain, no gain
No place like home – There’s
No rest for the wickedNo smoke without fire – There’s
No such thing as a free lunch – There’s
No such thing as bad publicity – There’s
No time like the present – There’s
No use crying over spilt milk – It’s
Nod’s as good as a wink to a blind horse – A
None so blind as those who will not see – There’s
None so deaf as those who will not hear – There’s
Nothing new under the sun
Nothing is certain but death and taxesNothing succeeds like successNothing ventured, nothing gained
Oil and water don’t mix
Old soldiers never die, they simply fade away.Once a thief, always a thief
Once bitten, twice shyOne good turn deserves anotherOne half of the world does not know how the other half lives
One hand washes the otherOne man’s meat is another man’s poisonOne might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb
One law for the rich and another law for the poorOne swallow does not make a summerOne volunteer is worth ten pressed men
One year’s seeding makes seven years weeding
Only fools and horses work
Opera ain’t over till the fat lady sings – The
Opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door
Opposites attract
Ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – An
Out of sight, out of mindOut of the frying pan into the firePaddle your own canoe
Parsley seed goes nine times to the Devil
Patience is a virtue
Pearls of wisdom
Pen is mightier than sword – The
Penny saved is a penny earned – A
Penny wise and pound foolish
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
Person is known by the company he keeps – A
Physician, heal thyselfPicture paints a thousand words – A
Place for everything and everything in its place – A
Poor workman always blames his tools – A
Possession is nine points of the law
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutelyPractice makes perfect
Practice what you preach
Prevention is better than cure
Price of liberty is eternal vigilance – The
Pride comes before a fallProcrastination is the thief of timeProblem shared is a problem halved – A
Proof of the pudding is in the eating – The
Prophet is not recognized in his own land – A
Put the cart before the horsePut your best foot forwardPut your shoulder to the wheelQuid pro quoRain before seven, fine before eleven
Red sky at night shepherd’s delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warningRevenge is a dish best served coldRevenge is sweet
Rising tide lifts all boats – A
Road to hell is paved with good intentions – The
Rob Peter to pay PaulRolling stone gathers no moss – A
Rome wasn’t built in a daySee a pin and pick it up, all the day you’ll have good luck; see a pin and let it lie, bad luck you’ll have all daySee no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil
Seeing is believing
Seek and you shall findSet a thief to catch a thief
Share and share alikeShoemaker’s son always goes barefoot – The
Shrouds have no pockets
Silence is goldenSlow but sure
Soft answer turneth away wrath – A
Softly, softly, catchee monkey
Spare the rod and spoil the childSpeak as you find
Speak softly and carry a big stickSqueaky wheel gets the grease – The
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt meStill waters run deep
Stitch in time saves nine – A
Strike while the iron is hotStupid is as stupid does
Success has many fathers, while failure is an orphan
Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselvesTakes a thief to catch a thief – It
Takes all sorts to make a world – It
Takes one to know one – It
Talk is cheap
Talk of the Devil, and he is bound to appearTell the truth and shame the DevilThat which does not kill us makes us stronger
The age of miracles is past
The apple never falls far from the treeThe best defense is a good offenceThe best is the enemy of the good
The best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agleyThe best things in life are free
The bigger, the better
The bigger they are, the harder they fall
The bottom line is the bottom line
The boy is father to the man
The bread always falls buttered side downThe child is father to the manThe cobbler always wears the worst shoesThe course of true love never did run smoothThe customer is always rightThe darkest hour is just before the dawnThe Devil has all the best tunesThe Devil is in the detailsThe Devil looks after his own
The Devil makes work for idle hands to doThe Devil take the hindmostThe early bird catches the wormThe empty can that makes the most noise – It’s
The end justifies the means
The English are a nation of shopkeepersThe exception which proves the ruleThe fat is in the fireThe female of the species is more deadly than the maleThe good die young
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fenceThe hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
The husband is always the last to know
The labourer is worthy of his hire
The law is an assThe leopard does not change his spotsThe longest journey starts with a single stepThe more the merrierThe more things change, the more they stay the same
The opera ain’t over till the fat lady singsThe pen is mightier than swordThe price of liberty is eternal vigilance
The proof of the pudding is in the eatingThe rich get richer and the poor get poorerThe road to hell is paved with good intentionsThe shoemaker’s son always goes barefootThe singer not the song – It’s
The squeaky wheel that gets the grease – It’s
The truth will outThe wages of sin is deathThe way to a man’s heart is through his stomach
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts
There are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with creamThere are none so blind as those, that will not see
There are two sides to every question
There but for the grace of God, go IThere’s a sucker born every minuteThere’s a time and a place for everythingThere’s an exception to every ruleThere’s always more fish in the sea
There’s honour among thieves
There’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle
There’s many a slip ‘twixt cup and lip
There’s more than one way to skin a catThere’s no accounting for tastes
There’s no fool like an old foolThere’s no place like homeThere’s no smoke without fire
There’s no such thing as a free lunchThere’s no such thing as bad publicityThere’s no time like the present
There’s none so blind as those who will not see
There’s none so deaf as those who will not hear
There’s nowt so queer as folk
There’s one born every minuteThere’s one law for the rich and another law for the poorThere’s safety in numbers
They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind
Thing of beauty is a joy forever – A
Third time luckyThose who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it
Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
Those who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas
Trouble shared is a trouble halved – A
Thou shalt not killTime and tide wait for no manTime flies
Time is a great healer
Time is money
Time will tell
’tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at allTo err is human; to forgive divineTo every thing there is a seasonTo the victor go the spoils
To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arriveTomorrow is another dayTomorrow never comes
Too many cooks spoil the brothTruth is stranger than fictionTruth will outTwo blacks don’t make a white
Two heads are better than oneTwo is company, but three’s a crowd
Two sides to every question – There are
Two wrongs don’t make a right
Variety is the spice of life
Virtue is its own reward
Volunteer is worth twenty pressed men – A
Wages of sin is death – The
Walls have ears
Walnuts and pears you plant for your heirsWaste not want not
Watched pot never boils – A
Way to a man’s heart is through his stomach – The
What can’t be cured must be endured
What goes up must come down
What you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts
What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander
When in Rome, do as the Romans doWhen the cat’s away the mice will play
When the going gets tough, the tough get going
When the oak is before the ash, then you will only get a splash; when the ash is before the oak, then you may expect a soak
What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over
Where there’s a will there’s a way
Where there’s muck there’s brassWherever you wander, there’s no place like homeWhile there’s life there’s hope
Whole is greater than the sum of the parts – The
Whom the Gods love die young
Why keep a dog and bark yourself?Woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke – A
Woman’s place is in the home – A
Woman’s work is never done
Women and children firstWonders will never cease
Word to the wise is enough – A
Work expands so as to fill the time available
Worrying never did anyone any good
You are never too old to learn
You are what you eatYou can catch more flies with honey than with vinegarYou can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family
You can have too much of a good thing
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drinkYou can’t have your cake and eat it tooYou can’t get blood out of a stoneYou can’t get blood out of a turnipYou can’t hold with the hare and run with the houndsYou can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s earYou can’t make an omelette without breaking eggsYou can’t make bricks without straw
You can’t run with the hare and hunt with the houndsYou can’t take it with you [when you die]
You can’t teach an old dog new tricksYou can’t judge a book by its cover
You can’t win them all
You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar
You pays your money and you takes your choice
You reap what you sowYou win some, you lose some
Youth is wasted on the young