Open confession is good for the soul
A guilty secret is hard to bear; it has a bed effect on us. The more we try to forget it, the more we are reminded of it. But once we have... Read more →
Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches
No one except he who is experiencing it knows the cause of a trouble or difficulty. His behaviour is not understood by other because they are... Read more →
One volunteer is worth two pressed men
Here 'pressed' means 'compelled to serve in the armed forces.' The modern term is 'conscripted' or 'called up'. A volunteer joins of his own... Read more →
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin
In general usage this proverb means that the show of a fundamental human emotion, or even human weakness, often has the effect of bringing... Read more →
One swallow does not make a summer
The swallow is a migratory bird, visiting Great Britain in April and leaving for warmer climes in September. As far as Great Britain is... Read more →
One pair of heels is often worth two pairs of hands
Usage associates heels with running. To take to one's heels is to make a hasty departure. This proverb, therefore, means that it is often better... Read more →
One of these days is none of these days
'I'll do one of these days.' This means that you propose to do whatever it is later on. The result is that it is never done at all.... Read more →
One must draw the line somewhere
To draw the line is to lay down a definite limit of action beyond which one refuses to go. The decision depends on ourselves, but it must be... Read more →
One must draw back in order to leap better
This teaches prudence. It is a quotation from an essay by Montaigne ('Il faut reculer pour mieux sauter') and has much the same meaning as Look... Read more →
One man’s meat is another man’s poison
Food that agrees with one person may have an injurious effect on another. In a wider sense one person may like what another hates. 'My sister... Read more →