Sharing For All: English proverbs

Friday, December 10, 2010

The calm (comes) before the storm.
A camel is a horse designed by committee.
- Meaning: a vision is more perfect from the individual rather than a group of people where it becomes anodyne.
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
- Attributed to Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi
A cat may look at a king.
- Meaning: If a cat may look at the king - then I have a right to look where I please.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.
- Meaning: The strength of any group depends on the individual strength of each of its members.
The child is father to the man.
- Meaning: What is true of a child will still be true when it grows up; or, early experiences shape future character.
A closed mouth catches no flies.
- Meaning: You cannot say a bad thing if you don't speak at all.
The coat makes the man.
A coin of gold is delighting in a bag of silver coins
- Alternative meaning: One who is unique is often praised or receives more pleasure.
Cometh the hour cometh the man.
- (Some information about the phrase and about its use by a 1940's cricketer)
A constant guest is never welcome.
A coward dies a thousand times before his death. The valiant never taste of death but once.
- From William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar^[1]
- Meaning: The valiant (the brave) take no account of possible danger, whereas cowards are constantly fearing the worst. ^[2]
The cure is worse than the disease.
The customer is always right.