A List of proverbs and sayings. This page contains examples of proverbs and an ever growing list of proverbs. It is a good practice to avoid use of these proverbs in poetry unless used in a completely original way.
See also: Idioms.
A proverb is a brief and popular saying that typically gives advice about how people should live or that expresses a belief that is commonly thought to be true.
Walls have ears.
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War is death's feast.
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War, hunting, and law, are as full of trouble as pleasure.
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Waste not, want not.
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We can't all be top sawyers.
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We must do as we may, if we cannot do as we would.
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We must not look for a golden life in an iron age.
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We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.
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We shall lie all alike in our graves.
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Wedding and ill-wintering tame both man and beast.
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Wedlock is a padlock.
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Weight and measure take away strife.
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Welcome death, quoth the rat, when the trap fell down.
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Welcome is the best dish on the table.
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Well begun is half done.
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Well may he smell of fire whose gown burneth.
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Well-drawn wells give the sweetest water.
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What a man sows, that shall he also reap.
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What cannot be cured must be endured.
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What every one asks, what every one gives, but what very few take—advice.
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What God will, no frost can kill.
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What is a pound of butter amongst a kennel of hounds?
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What is a workman without his tools?
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What is worse than ill-luck?
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What one man despises, another craves.
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What soberness conceals, drunkenness reveals.
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What the eye does not see the heart does not grieve for.
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What the eye sees not, the heart rues not.
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What the heart thinketh, the tongue speaketh.
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What your glass tells you will not be told by counsel.
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What! keep a dog and bark myself?
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What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
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When a musician hath forgot his note, he makes as though a crumb stuck in his throat.
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When all is consumed repentance comes too late.
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When children stand quiet they have done some harm.
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When fortune smiles take the advantage.
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When God wills, all winds bring rain.
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When good cheer is lacking our friends will be packing.
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When I have thatched his house he would throw me down.
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When ill luck falls asleep, let nobody wake her.
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When it thunders the thief becomes honest.
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When knaves fall out, true men come by their goods.
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When old age is evil, youth can learn no good.
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When one door shuts another opens.
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When poverty comes in at the door, friendship leaps out of the window.
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When sorrow is asleep, wake it not.
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When the cat winketh, little wots the mouse what the cat thinketh.
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When the child is christened, you may have godfathers enough.
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When the fox preaches, beware of your geese.
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When the head aches, all the body is the worse.
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When the steed is stolen the stable door shall be shut.
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When the tree falls every man runs with his hatchet.
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When the tree is down, every one runs with his hatchet.
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When the well is dug it is easy enough to pump.
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When things get to the worst, they'll mend.
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When thy neighbour's house is on fire, be careful of thine own.
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When two ride together one must ride behind.
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When two Sundays come in one week—that is, never.
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When wine is in, wit is out.
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When wine sinks, words swim.
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When you are at Rome, do as Rome does.
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When you ride a young colt see your saddle be well girt.
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Where are the crumbs there are the chickens.
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Where bad's the best, naught must be the choice.
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Where bees are there is honey.
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Where coin's not common, commons must be scant.
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Where every hand fleeceth, the sheep go naked.
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Where God hath His church the devil will have his chapel.
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Where honour ceaseth, there knowledge decreaseth.
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Where it is weakest there the thread breaketh.
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Where music is no harm can be.
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Where the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
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Where the hedge is lowest, men commonly leap over.
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Where the will is ready, the feet are light.
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Where there is smoke there is fire.
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Where there's a will there's a way.
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Where there's a will there's a way.
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Where we least think, there goeth the hare away.
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Whether you boil snow or pound it, you will have but water from it.
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While the grass grows the steed starves.
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While there's life there's hope.
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White silver draws black lines.
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Who depends upon another man's table often dines late.
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Who draws his sword against his prince must throw away the scabbard.
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Who goes worse shod than the cobbler's wife?
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Who has not a good tongue, ought to have good hands.
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Who hath aching teeth, hath ill tenants.
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Who hath spice enough may season his meat as he pleaseth.
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Who in Janiveer sows oats, gets gold and groats.
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Who more busy than they that have least to do.
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Who never climbed, never fell.
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Who preacheth war is the devil's chaplain.
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Who sings drives away care.
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Who so blind as he that will not see?
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Who sows in May gets little that way.
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Who spits against the wind spits in his own face.
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Who weds ere he be wise shall die ere he thrive.
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Who will not save a penny, shall never have many.
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Who would keep a cow when he may have a bottle of milk for a penny!
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Whom we love best to them we can say least.
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Whoso lacketh a stock, his gain's not worth a chip.
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Why, butter would not melt in his mouth!
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Wide will wear but narrow will tear.
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Wider ears and a shorter tongue.
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Wilful waste makes woeful want.
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Will without reason is blind.
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Willows are weak, yet they bend other wood.
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Win first, lose last.
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Wine is a turncoat, first a friend, then an enemy.
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Wine is the master's, but the goodness is the drawer's.
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Wink at small faults.
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Winter finds out what summer lays up.
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Wisdom rides upon the ruins of folly.
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Wise men are not caught by wiles.
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Wise men care not for what they cannot have.
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Wise men learn by others' harms, fools by their own.
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Wishers and woulders are never good householders.
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Wit bought is twice taught.
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Wit ill applied is a dangerous weapon.
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Wit is folly, unless a wise man hath the keeping of it.
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Wit is the lightning of the mind.
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Wit may be bought too dear.
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With stomach, wife, and conscience keep on good terms.
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With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.
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Woe follows wickedness.
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Woe to the house where there is no chiding.
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Wolves lose their teeth, but not their memory.
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Woman's instinct is often truer than man's reasoning.
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Women must have their wills while they live, because they make none when they die.
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Wood half burnt is easily kindled.
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Wool sellers know wool buyers.
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Words and blows
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Words are for women, actions for men.
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Words are like weights, gravity gives them effect.
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Words spoken in an evening the wind carrieth away.
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Wounds may heal, but not those made by ill words.
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Wranglers never want words.
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Wrinkled purses make wrinkled faces.
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