Out of sight, out of mind
We cease to worry about anything that can no longer be seen. This includes people. Absent friends are soon forgotten. This is the opposite of... Read more →
Proverbs starting with letter O
Out of debt, out of danger
There are considerable risks attached to being in debt, for a man without money is so defenceless. Once he has paid off his debts and has begun... Read more →
An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of wit
Don't try to be too funny at other people's expense. Your jokes make pain them or give offence.
Other times, other manners
Each succeeding generation has its own way of life and standard of behaviour.
Opportunity seldom knocks twice
Another proverb tells us that Fortune knocks at least once at every man's gate, but that does not necessarily mean that it will knock a second... Read more →
Opportunity makes the thief
If you leave articles of value lying about, you are asking for them to be stolen. The temptation may be too great for a person who would not... Read more →
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 →