When children stand quiet they have done some ill
The rhymed version of this is: When children stand still, They have done some ill. A mother once said her daughter: 'Tommy's very quiet. Go and... Read more →
Proverbs with the word Ill
It is ill waiting for dead men’s shoes
To wait for dead men's shoes is to wait for the death of a person with the expectancy of succeeding to his possessions or office. This sometimes... Read more →
It is ill striving against the stream
It is easier to adapt ourselves to circumstances than to fight against them.
It is ill jesting with edged tools
It is dangerous to play with sharp tools. Similarly it is dangerous to meddle with anything that may get you into trouble. For example, to take... Read more →
It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good
When all ocean-going ships depended upon the wind to blow them along, a wind favourable to a vessel travelling east was unfavourable to one... Read more →
Ill weeds grow apace
Though the plants we value will not grow in our gardens without endless care and attention, worthless weeds always thrive; and worthless people... Read more →
An ill payer never wants an excuse
Here 'wants' means 'lacks'. A man who keeps his creditors waiting always has an excuse ready for not paying their bills.
Ill news comes apace
The more modern version of this proverb is Bad news travels fast. Bad news nearly always reaches us more quickly than good news. News about... Read more →