Proverbs and sayings are popular expressions of wisdom, often in circulation for centuries and even millenniums. They are an extremely important part of the English Language commonly used by native speakers.
This 4 part article includes 200 of the most important and common proverbs, each of which is followed by meaning and use in an example sentence.
51. Curses, like chickens, come home to roost.
The consequence of wrongdoings always catches up with the wrongdoer.
Example: Politicians can fool some people some of the time, but in the end, chickens come home to roost when votes are counted.
52. Different strokes for different folks.
Different people have different needs and want, and we should be respectful of them.
Example: Because people differ in their tastes and habits, I try to provide different strokes for different folks when I invite my friends to my place.
53. Discretion is the better part of valor.
It is wise to be careful and not show unnecessary bravery.
Example: Son: Can I go on this mountaineering expedition? Father: No. Son: But my friends will say I’m a chicken if I don’t go! Father: Discretion is the better part of valor, and I’d rather have them call you chicken than risk your life.
54. Do as you would be done.
Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Some people, for example, ingratiate themselves with the powerful but treat the less powerful with contempt. Don’t be like them.
Example: You shouldn’t have been rude to him. How would you feel if someone behaves the same way as you? You should do as you would be done.
55. Doctors make the worst patients.
It’s difficult to advise a person on a matter in which he is an expert. This is because he thinks that he already knows the best about what to do.
Example: When I tried to advise my friend on how to increase revenue from his gas station, he argued why my suggestions wouldn’t work. He was clearly jumping the gun and not open to ideas. Doctors make the worst patients.
56. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Don’t act badly toward the person who has helped you or from whom you derive some benefits, for you may lose those benefits in the future.
Example: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you by talking ill of your mentor for such a small thing. If he distances himself from you or talks bad about you, it can hurt you badly.
57. Don’t carry coals to Newcastle.
In the past, Newcastle was known for its coal mines. Coal was mined here and taken to other parts of England. So, if you carry coal to Newcastle, you’re doing unnecessary work.
Example: When asked in the interview how you can make difference in your role, stay clear of the topic of SEO. They’re already an industry leader in it, and you shouldn’t carry coals to Newcastle.
58. Don’t cast pearls before swine.
Don’t offer something valuable to someone who doesn’t value it.
Example: To serve them French cuisine is like casting pearls before swine.
59. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Don’t make plans based on future events that may not happen.
Example: You’re preparing for an election campaign when you have not yet been nominated. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
60. Don’t cross the bridge till you come to it.
Deal with a situation when it happens and not unnecessarily worry about it in advance.
Example: I know you’re worried about the mortgage payment due in January, but don’t cross the bridge till you come to it.
61. Don’t empty the water jar until the rain falls.
Don’t quit something, say a job, before securing its replacement.
Example: After getting an average review in his annual performance appraisal, my friend left the organization without landing another job, and then he struggled to get another for several months. Don’t empty the water jar until the rain falls.
62. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Just like you can’t form an opinion of a book just by looking at its cover, you can’t form an opinion about someone (or something) from their outward appearance.
Example: He seems a bit jerk to me, but, hey, you never know. He may be good. You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
63. Don’t kill the goose that lays golden eggs.
If you kill a goose that lays golden eggs, you destroy something that makes a lot of money for you.
Example: Tourists come to this city mainly to see this monument. By opening it to commercial use, the city council may kill the goose that lays golden eggs.
64. Don’t open a shop unless you know how to smile.
It’s difficult to attract customers without a pleasant persona.
Example: Since my friend has a neutral, if not cold, demeanor, I advised him not to open a shop unless he learns how to smile.
65. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Don’t put all your effort into a single course of action, venture, investment, goal, or the like, because if it doesn’t work, you lose everything.
Example: Almost the entire revenue of the company comes from Facebook. If Facebook tweaks its policies in the future, the company may sink. They shouldn’t put all their eggs in the same basket.
66. Don’t think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm.
Everything calm and peaceful doesn’t mean there are no dangers around.
Example: Even though the industry looks stable with predictable market share and revenue, there are always obscure start-ups that may threaten your company in the future. Don’t think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm.
67. Don’t throw the baby with the bathwater.
Don’t discard something valuable while getting rid of something worthless.
Example: Let’s not throw the baby with the bathwater by scrapping the project for a subpart not planned well.
68. Eagles don’t catch flies.
Eagles catch bigger prey than flies, don’t they? Don’t take trivial matters to senior leaders in your organization. You have to resolve them, not them.
Example: You shouldn’t call the AVP for such a small disruption in the supply chain. Resolve it yourself. Eagles, after all, don’t catch flies.
69. Early bird catches the worm.
One who starts early on the work has a higher chance of success.
Example: I’ve come early for the season-ending sale so that I can choose from a wider selection and get a better piece. The early bird catches the worm, after all.
70. Empty bags can’t stand upright.
A poor or hungry person cannot discharge his duties well.
Example: You can’t expect poor people to fight climate change, because empty bags can’t stand upright. They need to first fulfill their basic needs.
The Greatest List Of Common English Proverbs Everybody Needs To Know (Part 1)
The Greatest List Of Common English Proverbs Everybody Needs To Know (Part 2)
The Greatest List Of Common English Proverbs Everybody Needs To Know (Part 3)
The Greatest List Of Common English Proverbs Everybody Needs To Know (Part 4)
71. Every cloud has a silver lining.
Bad times will eventually give way to better times. (The presence of a silver lining means that the sun is behind the cloud and will eventually emerge.)
Example: I know your business has suffered a few setbacks this season. But remember, every cloud has a silver lining.
72. Every dog has his day.
Even the unluckiest or the most unfortunate will taste success at some point.
Example: Are you surprised that John, the laggard, has got 92 percent marks in math? Well, every dog has his day.
73. Every horse thinks its own pack is the heaviest.
We think that we work the hardest. This is also called responsibility bias: People tend to overvalue their own contributions and undervalue the contributions of others.
Example: X: You’re questioning my contribution! I’m the one who has worked the hardest on this project. I haven’t taken a day’s leave in six months. Y: Every horse thinks its own pack is the heaviest.
74. Every tub must stand on its own bottom.
We can’t hide incompetency behind teamwork. Everyone has to justify their expense.
Example: The manager has singled out my team member for unsatisfactory work in the current project. The message was clear: Every tub must stand on its own bottom.
75. Fall seven times; stand up eight.
Be resilient and try despite failures. That’s how you succeed.
Example: Abraham Lincoln lost so many elections, but he kept trying. Eventually, he became the President of the United States. It’s rightly said: Fall seven times; stand up eight.
76. Familiarity breeds contempt.
If you know a situation, person, or thing well, you start taking them for granted and stop respecting them.
Example: The reason for many breakups and disasters can be traced to contempt bred by familiarity.
77. Faults are thick whereas love is thin.
If the love is shallow, people will find faults in each other.
Example: We occasionally overhear accusations and counter-accusations coming from the neighboring family. Faults are thick whereas love is thin.
78. Fine feathers make fine birds.
Like birds with colorful feathers look attractive, people in fine clothes look appealing. However, don’t get swayed by external appearance when making friends.
Example: X: The person I’ve just been introduced to, no doubt, looks attractive.
Y: Why wouldn’t he? Fine feathers make fine birds, after all. But you shouldn’t go by attractiveness when making friends.
79. Flattery, like perfume, should be smelled but not swallowed.
Enjoy the flattery you receive, but don’t believe it because people often flatter to meet their own selfish interests.
Example: I know he was all praise for your business acumen, but don’t take his words literally as this guy needs business from us. Flattery, like perfume, should be smelled but not swallowed.
80. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Fools or inexperienced persons get involved in situations or pursue goals without much thought. In contrast, wise think through such situations or goals.
Example: He sent an angry email without going into the background of the matter – fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
81. Fortune favors the brave.
If you carry out your plans boldly, luck is more likely to favor you.
Example: I know you’re hesitant to accept the overseas position in your company because ground realities there are different from what you’ve faced so far, but remember fortune favors the brave.
82. For want of a nail the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse, the rider is lost.
An insignificant nail resulted in the loss of the rider. Small things can have huge implications. So, don’t ignore nuances and minute details. They’re the ones that stand people out.
Example: Because of a malfunction in a tiny component, the entire batch of 120,000 air conditioners had to be recalled. For want of a nail the shoe is lost… the rider is lost.
83. Get out while the going (getting) is good.
Get out of a situation while it’s still easy to leave on good terms.
Example: With the stock market at an all-time high and further upside looking difficult, we decided to sell our shares and get out while the going was good.
84. God helps those who help themselves.
God helps those who make a sincere effort.
Example: You’ve to take the bull by the horns and try getting a new job. God helps those who help themselves.
85. Good bargains empty the purse.
Good bargains can be tempting and entice people into buying more than required, most of which can even go unused.
Example: I bought three pairs of trousers and four shirts at a 30 percent discount, even though I don’t need them. Good bargains indeed empty the purse.
86. Good swimmers are often drowned.
Overconfidence can doom even the competent.
Example: Kodak overlooked the prospect of digital photographs replacing its camera films. As a result, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2012 after more than 120 years in existence. Good swimmers are often drowned.
87. Good things come to those who wait.
Patience is often rewarded.
Example: The best investors in the world have made their fortunes by investing for the long term. Good things come to those who wait.
88. Good wine needs no bush.
A good product doesn’t need promotion; it spreads through word of mouth.
Example: Stripe, a financial services firm, grew mainly through word of mouth. Good wine needs no bush.
89. Grief divided is made lighter.
If you share your grief, it’ll get easier to bear.
Example: You shouldn’t hold back the news of financial loss you’ve incurred in your business. Grief divided is made lighter.
90. Half a loaf is better than none.
We should thank for what we get even though it’s less than what we had hoped for.
Example: I applied to six colleges and got admission in my second choice. Not ideal but it could have been worse. Half a loaf is better than no bread.
91. Home is where the heart is.
Don’t you feel relieved about reaching home after you’ve been away for a few days? No matter where you visit, you’ll long to return to your home and family.
Example: I’ve been out of town on work for only three days now, and I’m already longing to get back home. I guess home is where the heart is.
92. Honesty is the best policy.
It’s always better to be truthful and honest, even if the opposite may get you short-term benefits.
Example: I think you should just explain what happened, rather than trying to cover your tracks. Honesty is the best policy, after all.
93. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Be optimistic, but be prepared for a scenario where things can go wrong.
Example: We’re hoping to raise capital from investors, but it may not come so soon. Therefore, it’s imperative to look for alternatives as well. Let’s hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
94. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
If things were to happen by just wishing for them, even the poorest will have everything they want.
Example: X: I want to be in a job that would pay me a million dollars a year. Y: If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Stop fooling yourself and work hard towards your goal.
95. If you are patient in a moment of anger, you will escape hundred days of sorrow.
Actions and decisions taken in moments of anger aren’t the best. They can bring great misery. Wait for your anger to pass and then act or decide.
Example: The customer representative was upset at the illegitimate demand of the customer, but he remained calm and patient because he knew that if you are patient… sorrow.
96. If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.
Something cheap will be of suspect quality and will trouble you later in the form of higher maintenance and/or poor performance.
Example: I bought the air conditioner at quite an attractive price, but it’s running a high electricity bill because it’s not very efficient. Moreover, it requires more maintenance. If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.
97. If you can’t beat them, join them.
If you can’t beat your opponent, then work alongside them for mutual benefit.
Example: ABC Pvt. Ltd. has struck a partnership with its competitor after it failed to gain market share. If you can’t beat them, join them.
98. If you play with fire, you’ll get burned.
If you do something dangerous or adventurous, you may get harmed.
Example: Enacting the stunts of movie superheroes in real life is playing with fire. You may get burned.
99. If you want peace, prepare for war.
If you utilize peacetime to get better at war, your adversaries will hesitate in waging a war on you, and hence the time of peace will stretch.
Example: We’re in a competitive industry. Therefore, we should use this time of high growth and less competition (time of peace, in other words) to shore up capital, diversify, invest in revenue streams of the future, and hire good talent. If you want peace, prepare for war.
100. If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Working with others may be somewhat slow compared to solo work, but you’ll need to collaborate if you want long-term success because you can’t do everything yourself.
Example: If you want to grow your business and sustain it over the long term, build a team. If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
The Greatest List Of Common English Proverbs Everybody Needs To Know (Part 1)
The Greatest List Of Common English Proverbs Everybody Needs To Know (Part 2)
The Greatest List Of Common English Proverbs Everybody Needs To Know (Part 3)
The Greatest List Of Common English Proverbs Everybody Needs To Know (Part 4)
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