If a thing is worth doing it is worth doing well
If what you propose to do deserves your attention, and is not so trivial that time should not be wasted on it, do it to the best of your... Read more →
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me
If I am foolish enough to allow him to deceive me on one occasion, I have only myself to blame if I let him do it again.
Handsome is as handsome does
Good living is more important that good looks. 'Handsome' means not only 'good-looking, of fine appearance', but also 'generous'. It denotes... Read more →
The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
Mothers who look after their children are bringing up a new generation of men. The following lines were written by William Ross Wallace: They... Read more →
Half the world knows not how the other half lives
People of one social class are often ignorant of the problems of those of another class. This was even truer formerly than now, so it is not... Read more →
Give credit where credit is due
Here 'credit' means 'acknowledgement of merit' and nothing to do with money. The proverb means that we should acknowledge the good points of... Read more →
Give and take
Be as ready to give as to take; to help others as you are to be helped; to make concessions as to accept them; to listen to other people's views... Read more →
Give a thief enough rope and he’ll hang himself
If you give a bad person enough opportunity he will bring about his own downfall. There is a play on words in the proverb, for 'rope' has tow... Read more →
Give a lie twenty-four hours’ start, and you can never overtake it
If a lie is not refuted immediately, it will pass from mouth to mouth until it is accepted as truth by everyone.
Give a dog a bad name and hang him
The phrase 'a bad name' means 'a bad reputation'. However untrue the charges may be, they may ruin a man's reputation and so 'hang him' - that... Read more →