English proverbs

The image is of wearing another person’s clothes: they may serve a purpose, but they are unlikely to fit as comfortably as clothes chosen for oneself.

The proverb suggests that understanding gained through personal cost or difficulty can be especially valuable. Such lessons may leave a stronger impression than advice received without firsthand experience.

The proverb presents good judgment as something people may gain by paying a personal price. A mistake or setback can leave a stronger lesson than advice that carried no immediate consequences.

A person constrained by another's power has limited freedom to refuse. The proverb presents obedience as a consequence of that constraint, rather than necessarily as a willing choice.

Sustained pressure can weaken something that initially seems strong. The bent bow makes the cost of prolonged strain tangible.

A ball needs little help to travel downhill. Likewise, a task can seem easy when circumstances already favor its progress.

The proverb presents a boy’s behavior as predictable simply because he is a boy. It is often used to treat unruliness or mischief as something to be expected rather than surprising.

The proverb imagines two dogs whose names stand for different qualities. Brag may impress, but Holdfast earns the stronger praise.

The dog’s flattering name and the praise it receives are undercut by an obvious defect. A boast sounds less convincing when it leaves out an important qualification.

The proverb pictures boasting as a dog that looks impressive when urged toward a confrontation but will not bite. Its apparent fierceness does not amount to courage.

The proverb contrasts impressive claims with modest results. It suggests that someone who spends much effort praising their own abilities may contribute less than their words imply.

The proverb treats the mind as a field: if it is not cultivated with something useful, unwelcome growth may take its place. Its contrast is between purposeful mental activity and neglect.

The image is of grain processing that leaves a large amount of bran but only a little meal. The less desirable portion outweighs the part one hoped to obtain.

The proverb says that people can be glad of a plain meal when no other food is available. Their appreciation comes from having something to eat, not from considering it a feast.

A desired result may require effort well before the moment you hope to enjoy it. The breakfast image makes the timing plain: the work cannot wait until the meal is due.

Natural ability does not remove the need for instruction. Even someone with exceptional promise benefits from learning how to develop and use it.

A disposition or habit that has become deeply ingrained is unlikely to disappear. The bodily imagery presents a trait as something embedded throughout a person rather than a passing impulse.

The proverb praises the ability to express an intelligent or amusing thought in few words. Extra explanation can weaken a point that would otherwise be sharp.

A person’s choices shape what follows, and that person remains answerable for the outcome. The saying links responsibility to the actions that set events in motion.

A bribe can gain access or cooperation without the ordinary request for permission. The image of entering unannounced suggests that money offered improperly can make a guarded door seem open.

A brimmer is a cup filled to the rim, making the amount served plain to see. The saying treats that visible fullness as proof that the drink has not been short-measured.

An attractive outward change does not resolve a serious underlying problem. The stocking may improve appearances, but the leg still needs treatment.

A responsibility can seem lighter when a person takes it on willingly. The choice gives the effort a purpose that makes it easier to bear.

People can bear difficult work and responsibilities. The image of a back carrying a load presents effort as something within human capacity.

A hardship may weigh more heavily on the person experiencing it than others realize. Its outward appearance does not reveal its full effect.

A task can demand substantial effort without offering a correspondingly large reward. The weight of an undertaking is not a reliable measure of what it will yield.

A person who has been hurt by something may become especially cautious when they encounter it again. The fear comes from experience rather than from an imagined threat.

The proverb presents purposeful activity as something that makes life more satisfying, much as salt brings out the flavor of food.

A person’s course of action depends on how their own affairs stand. People may act differently because the matters before them differ.

Even poor cover offers some shelter. The proverb favors an imperfect protection over a situation that leaves someone entirely exposed.

The proverb observes a contrast between the amount of work someone has and how busy they appear. A light workload does not always bring an air of ease.

The proverb favors paying for nourishing food over paying to treat illness. Its contrast presents food as a worthwhile expense when it helps people stay well.

The proverb ranks butter by the time it is eaten: highly valued in the morning, less so at midday, and undesirable at night. Gold, silver, and lead make that decline vivid.

The person appears so mild and innocent that he seems incapable of doing anything wrong. The image of unmelted butter exaggerates that impression of harmlessness.

The proverb presents a limited amount of something desirable against a group large enough to exhaust it. Its question implies that the amount is scarcely adequate.

The saying imagines butter tucked into the cow’s horn during the yearly interval when the cow gives no milk. Without milk, there can be no butter from her.

The proverb describes someone who recognizes which person or arrangement serves their interests and acts with that advantage in mind.

A buyer cannot judge an animal’s condition or value while it remains hidden. The proverb warns against making a purchase without seeing what is being offered.

The proverb advises people making a purchase to pay attention to what they are getting and to the terms of the deal. They should not assume that the seller will safeguard their interests.

A purchase demands careful attention because the buyer must judge what is being offered before committing. The hundred eyes exaggerate the degree of scrutiny advised.

You cannot consume something and still possess it in its original state. The proverb expresses the impossibility of satisfying two desires when one rules out the other.

An easy voyage makes steering look simple. The proverb suggests that favorable conditions can conceal the difference between genuine skill and ordinary confidence.

The proverb presents calm June weather as favorable to a growing corn crop. “In tune” suggests that the crop is developing as it should.

A candle lit at both ends is used up unusually fast. The image warns that energy and other limited resources can be depleted by trying to sustain too much at once.

The saying treats Candlemas as a checkpoint for winter provisions: a household that has used more than half its straw and hay may struggle to make the remaining supplies last.

A clear, bright Candlemas is taken as a sign that another spell of winter lies ahead, despite the promise of improving weather.

The image of snow on a hot surface suggests that it cannot last long. The proverb predicts that snow after Candlemas will melt quickly.

The saying marks Candlemas as a turning point in the return of daylight. Casting away both candle and holder exaggerates the sense that shorter days are beginning to give way.

A person who recognizes themselves in a criticism should consider whether it applies to them, even if no one has named them directly.

The ship stands for a person’s life, and the captain for the person making its decisions. The proverb urges someone to choose a course rather than leave that choice to others.