Walls have ears
Be careful what you say and where you say it. There my be someone lurking on the other side of the wall, or, to bring the proverb up to date,... Read more →
The voice of the people is the voice of God
This comes to us from the Latin: Vox pouli vox Dei. Dr. Brewer made these comments: 'This does not mean that the voice of the many is wise and... Read more →
Virtue is its own reward
The reward for behaving virtuously is the satisfaction one feels in doing what one knows to be right. The proverb is often used to warn that we... Read more →
Verp. sap.
This, in its abbreviated form, is one of those proverbs that have remained more common in the original than in English translation. It is the... Read more →
You cannot get a quart into a pint pot
This incontestable fact is used figuratively in such contexts as: 'Look, dear,' said Mr Davidson while his wife was packing for their summer... Read more →
You cannot catch old birds with chaff
Experienced people are not to be deceived; they are too shrewd. Chaff is the outer covering of the grain and worthless as food.
Zeal without knowledge is a runaway horse
Zeal is defined in The concise Oxford Dictionary as 'earnestness or fervour in advancing a cause or rendering service; hearty and persistent... Read more →
You cannot burn the candle at both ends
Dr Brewer explains this as follows: 'You cannot do two opposite things at one and the same time; you cannot exhaust your energies in one... Read more →
Wake not a sleeping lion
Don't ask for trouble. It's safer to leave things as they are.
Variety is the spice of life
Life becomes very monotonous without some break in the daily routine. William Cowper wrote in his long poem, The Task: Variety is the very spice... Read more →