You cannot make a crab walk straight
This warns us never to attempt the impossible. You can no more make a grab walk any way but sideways than you can change a person's character.
We are all slaves of opinion
Here 'opinion' is 'public opinion'. Our actions are influenced by what other people may say or think about them.
Take things as they come
Deal with things as they arise.
Set a thief to catch a thief
A thief knows all the tricks of the game, so it is best fitted to catch others engaged in it. A similar proverb is An old poacher makes the best... Read more →
A rich man’s joke is always funny
Money is honey, my little sonny, And a rich man's joke is always funny. This couplet is written by Thomas Edward Brown, the Manx poet. The rich... Read more →
Possession is nine points of the law
We use this to mean that even though full legal right to a thing has not been established, he who is in possession of it has a far greater right... Read more →
One good turn deserves another
If someone has done you a kindness, you should do him a kindness in return. A boy was once able to help a circus elephant by stopping another... Read more →
Never buy a big on a poke
Always examine your purchase before you pay for it. A poke is a bag or sack. In olden days a crafty trader would tie a can in a sack and sell it... Read more →
A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds
If a man does nothing but talk, he produces noting of value, just like bad weeds in a garden.
Lend your money and lose a friend
If your friend finds himself unable to repay the debt, he will avoid you and may well say bad things about you to justify his conduct. There is... Read more →