A cat in gloves catches no mice
Sometimes you cannot get what you want by being careful and polite. Restraint and caution (or ‘pussyfooting’) achieve nothing. This is... Read more →
A burden of one’s own choice is not felt
The proverb suggests that a burden that is chosen voluntarily is not seen as a burden. It means that if a person chooses to take on something,... Read more →
A beggar can never be bankrupt
To go bankrupt a person has to go deep into dept that they cannot repay. This is generally something that can happen to rich people when they... Read more →
A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit
With the time, the money and the effort that a case at court of law requires, it is better to make a compromise with the one you are involved in... Read more →
A bad beginning makes a bad ending
If you start a thing badly it takes a long time to finish it, because the bad start seriously affects the later work. But if you make a good... Read more →
The worth of a thing is best known by the want of it
It is only when we have been deprived of something that we appreciate the true value of it. One illustration of this is, of course, the other... Read more →
The worst wheel of the cart creaks most
The inefficient or lazy worker is the one who does all the complaining.
Worse things happen at sea
We say this in a resigned tone when we find ourselves in an awkward or difficult situation, or when we have to put up with something less than... Read more →
The worse luck now, the better another time
Just as we are not always lucky, so we are not always unlucky. The colloquial phrase is: 'Better luck next time.'
Words cut more than swords
A sharp tongue wounds. This means the same as The tongue is not of steel, yet it cuts.