"Good Things Come To Those Who Wait."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Good things come to those who wait."

 

Meaning: 

This is an English phrase extolling the virtue of patience.

History / Interesting Fact:

This proverb was used by Violet Fane in 1892.

Other examples:

"Good things come to those who wait." – 1984 song by Nayobe

"Good things come to those who wait." – UK advertising campaign for Guinness in the 1990’s & 2000’s

"Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover."

Meaning: 

You should not decide upon something based just on outward appearances.

History / Interesting Fact:

The origin of this proverb is fairly recent. The phrase is attributed to a 1944 edition of the African journal American Speech: “You can’t judge a book by its binding.” It was popularised even more when it appeared in the 1946 murder mystery Murder in the Glass Room by Lester Fuller and Edwin Rolfe: “You can never tell a book by its cover.”

"Familiarity Breeds Contempt."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Familiarity Breeds Contempt."

 

Meaning: 

Long experience of someone or something can make one so aware of the faults as to be scornful.

History / Interesting Fact:

The idea is much older, but the first recorded use of this expression was in Chaucer's Tale of Melibee (c. 1386).

"A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned."

 

Meaning: 

It is as useful to save money that you already have as it is to earn more.

History / Interesting Fact:

The original form of this proverb used 'got' or 'gained' instead of 'earned'. Recorded as early as the 17th century - George Herbert's Outlandish Proverbs, circa 1633:

A penny spar'd is twice got.

The first usage of the current form of the phrase is sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin. That attribution is without foundation however printed examples began in the 19th century. 'A penny saved is a penny earned' was printed in an edition of the Pall Mall Magazine in September 1899.

"Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Necessity is the mother of invention."

Meaning: 

When the need for something becomes essential, you are forced to find ways of getting or achieving it.

History / Interesting Fact:

This saying appears in the dialogue Republic, by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato.

"Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Meaning: 

Different people have different ideas about what's beautiful.

History / Interesting Fact:

It is not exactly known where or how this proverb originated but it has been used in different forms since 3rd century BC when it first appeared in Greek.

The first person to use it in the form we know today (“beauty is in the eye of the beholder”) was an author called Margaret Wolfe Hungerford.

"There's No Time Like The Present."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: " There's no time like the present."

Meaning: 

Something that you say in order to show that you think it is a good idea to do something immediately.

History / Interesting Fact:

This adage was first recorded in 1562. One compiler of proverbs,John Trusler, amplified 

it: “No time like the present, a thousand unforeseen circumstances may interrupt you at 

a future time” ( Proverbs Exemplified, 1790).

"One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

 

Meaning: 

Something that one person considers worthless may be considered valuable by 

someone else.

History / Interesting Fact:

No origin found 

"If You Can't Beat 'em, Join 'em."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Meaning: 

Said when you accept that you cannot be as successful as other people without doing what they do, even though you do not approve of or agree with it

History / Interesting Fact:

This was first recorded by the American writer Quentin Reynolds in 'The Wounded Don't Cry' (1941). 

There is a similar old political adage which says 'If you can't lick 'em, join 'em.' 

“Beggars Can’t Be Choosers”

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: “Beggars can’t be choosers”.

Meaning: 

When in need of help, one cannot dictate how that help is given; when one's situation requires one to beg, one cannot complain about the insufficient or substandard gifts that one receives.

History / Interesting Fact:

This expression was in use by 1546 when it appeared in a book of proverbs compiled by John Heywood.

"All Good Things Must Come To An End."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "All good things must come to an end."

Meaning: 

All experiences, even pleasant ones, eventually end.

History / Interesting Fact:

This proverb was penned by Geoffrey Chaucer in his poem Troilus and Criseyde completed in mid-1380’s 

"Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

Meaning: 

1: Don’t turn on someone that has supported you.
2: Don’t turn against a benefactor, a friend or a supporter. 
3: Don’t repay support with wrong.

History / Interesting Fact:

The origin of this proverb is not known. One of the first times it was seen in print was during the 18th century, when political writer Edmund Burke said “having looked to government for bread, on the first scarcity they will turn and bite the hand that fed them.”

"Easy Come, Easy Go."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Easy come, easy go."

Meaning: Used especially in spoken English to indicate that a relationship or possession acquired without effort may be abandoned or lost without regret.

History / Interesting Fact:

This phrase states a truth known since ancient times and expressed in numerous 

proverbs with slightly different wording ( lightly come, lightly go ; quickly come, 

quickly go). The adverb easy was substituted in the early 1800's.

"Too Many Cooks Spoil The Broth."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Too many cooks spoil the broth."

Meaning: When there are too many people trying to lead and give their opinions, it gets confusing and can lead to bad results.

History / Interesting Fact:

This is a very old proverb that exists in many languages. In English it dates back to at least the 16^th century when it first appeared in print though it may well be older. There are also a number of different versions - sometimes it’s soup / sometimes it’s stew. A similar saying is “Too many chiefs and not enough Indians.” 

"Practice Makes Perfect."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "Practice makes perfect."

Meaning:

Doing something over and over again is the only way to learn to do it well.

History / Interesting Fact:

This proverb can be traced back to the 1550’s-1560’s when its form was 'Use Makes Perfect.' The Latin version is: 'Uses promptos facit.' 

"What's Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "What's good for the goose is good for the gander."

Meaning: 

What is good for a man is equally good for a woman; or, what a man can have or do, so can a woman have or do. This comes from an earlier

proverb, “What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”

History / Interesting Fact:

This proverb was cited and described as a woman's proverb in John Ray's English Proverbs (1678) and suggests that if something is good or okay for the man in a relationship or marriage – it is also good for the woman (goose being female and gander being male).

"You Can Catch More Flies With Honey Than With Vinegar."

Saturday Proverb:

Proverb: "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

Meaning: 

It is more effective to be polite and flattering than to be hostile or demanding.

History / Interesting Fact:

This proverb is more commonly heard in America and has been traced back to G. Torriano's 'Common Place of Italian Proverbs'.

It first appeared in the United States in Benjamin Franklin's 'Poor Richard's Almanac' in 1744.