Like mother, like daughter
Many daughters, take after their mothers, not only in looks but also in character. Sometimes the inherited characteristics are not good... Read more →
A promise made is a debt unpaid
When you make a promise to someone, it is as if you take a debt from them. The 'debt' you owe to the person is not paid until the promise is... Read more →
The apple never falls far from the tree
The descendants are usually very much like the ancestors. Children grow up to be similar to their parents and people who know the parents will... Read more →
Hindsight is always twenty-twenty
Hindsight means the opportunity to judge or understand past events using knowledge that you have gained since then. The 20/20... Read more →
Keep a thing seven years and you will find a use for it
If you keep a seemingly useless thing for a long enough time, you will probably have some occasion to use it during that time. The proverb does... Read more →
All cats love fish but hate to get their paws wet
Everyone wants success, but many lack the self-discipline to become successful. They might hope in luck, but fortune favours the bold.
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely
Absolute monarchies are those in which all power is given to or, as is more often the case, taken by, the monarch. Examples of absolute power... Read more →
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 →