Proverbs and Sayings List - My English Grammar

Proverbs and sayings are pocket-sized pieces of wisdom, polished by generations and carried across cultures. They distill experience into memorable lines, turning big ideas into small, sturdy tools for everyday life. Whether warning us to think ahead, nudging us to be kind, or reminding us to laugh at ourselves, these phrases help us navigate choices and understand people. In the table below, each proverb is paired with a clear meaning and a simple example sentence, so you can see how it works in context. Use them to enrich your writing, spark conversation, and keep timeless insight close at hand, daily.

A bad excuse is better than none (a weak excuse may still be accepted)
A bad workman blames his tools (the incompetent blame equipment)
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (what you have is safer than a risky chance)
A bully is always a coward (bullies pick on the weak)
A burnt child dreads fire (bad experiences make us cautious)
A dog is man’s best friend (dogs are loyal companions)
A chip off the old block (similar to a parent in character/looks)
A cold hand and a warm heart (cold hands can belong to kind people)
A drowning man will clutch at a straw (desperate people try anything)
A fate worse than death (an experience too horrible to bear)
A fool and his money are soon parted (fools lose money easily)
A friend in need is a friend indeed (true friends help in trouble)
A friend to all is a friend to none (trying to please all pleases none)
A good beginning is half the battle (a strong start sets up success)
A good beginning makes a good ending (good preparation leads to success)
A good tale is none the worse for being told twice (good stories bear repeating)
A good wife/husband makes a good husband/wife (kindness at home is reciprocated)
A guilty conscience needs no accuser (guilt reveals itself)
A heavy purse makes a light heart (money eases worry)
A hungry man is an angry man (hunger breeds irritability)
A man is as old as he feels; a woman as old as she looks (old-fashioned view: men by vigor, women by looks)
A man is known by the company he keeps (associates reflect character)
A miss is as good as a mile (almost is still failure)
A penny saved is a penny earned (saving equals earning)
A rich man’s joke is always funny (flattery follows wealth)
A rolling stone gathers no moss (restlessness avoids ties/responsibility)
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet (essence matters more than labels)
A small leak will sink a great ship (small problems grow big)
A stitch in time saves nine (fix problems early)
A watched pot never boils (impatient waiting feels longer)
A wolf in sheep’s clothing (evil masked by innocence)
A woman’s work is never done (housework repeats endlessly)
A word spoken is past recalling (you can’t unsay words)
Absence makes the heart grow fonder (distance deepens affection)
Actions speak louder than words (deeds outweigh talk)
Action without thought is like shooting without aim (think before acting)
All roads lead to Rome (many methods reach one goal)
All that glitters is not gold (appearances deceive)
All things are possible with God (faith makes anything seem possible)
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (rest is vital)
All’s fair in love and war (rules bend in extremes)
All’s well that ends well (good outcomes excuse difficulties)
Always a bridesmaid, never the bride (never the main person)
An apple a day keeps the doctor away (healthy eating prevents illness)
An Englishman’s home is his castle (home autonomy matters)
As you make your bed, so must you lie on it (accept consequences)
As you sow, so you shall reap (deeds bring results)
Ask a silly question and you get a silly answer (foolish questions invite foolish replies)
Ask no questions and you’ll hear no lies (don’t force answers)
Barking dogs seldom bite (loud threats rarely act)
Barking up the wrong tree (pursuing a mistaken target)
Be born with a silver spoon in your mouth (be born rich)
Beggars can’t be choosers (accept what’s offered)
Beat about the bush (avoid the main point)
Beauty is but skin-deep (looks don’t equal character)
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (taste is subjective)
Beggars must not be choosers (scarcity limits choice)
Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t (familiar risks over unknown)
Better an old man’s darling than a young man’s slave (prefer a caring partner to a harsh one)
Better late than never (late is better than not at all)
Between the devil and the deep blue sea (two bad options)
Birds of a feather flock together (like attracts like)
Bite off more than you can chew (attempt too much)
Blood is thicker than water (family bonds are strongest)
Blow one’s own trumpet (boast about oneself)
Born with a silver spoon in the mouth (born wealthy)
Both poverty and prosperity come from spending money (outcomes depend on how you spend)
Boys will be boys (boys’ mischief is expected)
Bread always falls buttered side down (worst outcomes often happen)
Burn the candle at both ends (overwork oneself)
Business is business (feelings don’t rule commerce)
Call a spade a spade (speak plainly)
Cast pearls before swine (offer value to those who won’t appreciate it)
Charity begins at home (care for family first)
Children should be seen and not heard (children stay quiet among adults)
Christmas comes but once a year (occasional splurges are okay)
Civility costs nothing (politeness is free)
Cleanliness is next to godliness (cleanliness is virtuous)
Cold hands, warm heart (cold hands can mean kind nature)
Cross the bridge only when you come to it (don’t worry prematurely)
Curiosity killed the cat (nosiness brings trouble)
Cut your coat according to your cloth (live within means)
Dead men tell no tales (the dead reveal no secrets)
Death pays all debts (death ends obligations)
Desires are nourished by delays (waiting can intensify desire)
Desperate diseases need desperate remedies (hard problems need bold solutions)
Diamond cut diamond (one cunning person matches another)
Discretion is the better part of valour (caution often beats rash bravery)
Don’t bite off more than you can chew (don’t overcommit)
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you (don’t harm your benefactor)
Don’t build castles in the air (avoid unrealistic plans)
Don’t burn your bridges (don’t ruin future options)
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch (don’t assume success early)
Don’t cry out before you’re hurt (don’t worry before trouble)
Don’t cry over spilt milk (don’t brood over the irrevocable)
Don’t get mad, get even (channel anger into effective action)
Don’t halloo till you’re out of the wood (don’t celebrate too early)
Don’t judge a book by its cover (don’t judge by appearance)
Don’t meet trouble halfway (don’t anticipate problems)
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket (diversify risk)
Don’t put the cart before the horse (do things in proper order)
Don’t shoot the messenger (don’t blame the bearer of bad news)
Don’t swap horses in midstream (don’t change plans mid-course)
Don’t wash your dirty linen in public (keep private matters private)
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise (a disciplined routine benefits life)
East, west, home’s best (home is best)
Easy come, easy go (easily gained, easily lost)
Eat to live; do not live to eat (eat for health, not indulgence)
Empty vessels make the most noise (the foolish talk most)
Err on the side of caution (prefer safety to risk)
Every cloud has a silver lining (good can come from bad)
Every dog has its day (everyone gets a chance)
Every Jack has his Jill (there’s a partner for everyone)
Every little helps (small contributions matter)
Every man for himself, and God for us all (in crisis, each must fend for themselves)
Every man is the architect of his own fortune (you shape your destiny)
Every time a sheep baas, he loses a bite (talking at meals costs bites)
Everybody’s business is nobody’s business (shared responsibility gets ignored)
Evil be to him who thinks it (ill will returns to the wisher)
Faint heart never won fair lady (boldness wins rewards)
Fair exchange is no robbery (equal trade is fair)
Faith can move mountains (strong belief achieves much)
Familiarity breeds contempt (over-familiarity reduces respect)
Few words are best (be concise)
Fight fire with fire (counter using similar tactics)
Fire is a good servant but a bad master (useful controlled, dangerous uncontrolled)
First come, first served (earlier arrival gets priority)
Flog a dead horse (waste effort on the hopeless)
Forgive and forget (let go of grudges)
Fortune favours the brave (courage attracts success)
God helps those who help themselves (effort invites aid)
Good masters make good servants (leaders set the tone)
Good people are scarce (decency is rare)
Great minds think alike (shared ideas coincide, often playfully)
Half a loaf is better than no bread (something beats nothing)
Handsome is as handsome does (deeds outweigh looks)
Hard words break no bones (harsh words don’t injure physically)
Hasty climbers have sudden falls (fast rises risk hard falls)
Have an axe to grind (push a personal agenda)
He who hesitates is lost (delay costs chances)
He who is good at making excuses is seldom good at anything else (excuses hinder achievement)
He who laughs last laughs best (final success matters)
He who lives by the sword dies by the sword (harm returns to the violent)
He who pays the piper calls the tune (the payer decides)
He who will not when he may, when he will he shall have nay (missed chances don’t return)
He who would the daughter win must with the mother first begin (win family favor first)
Heads I win, tails you lose (a rigged outcome)
Here today, gone tomorrow (short-lived presence)
His bark is worse than his bite (sounds fierce, acts mild)
History repeats itself (patterns recur)
Hit the nail on the head (state something exactly right)
Honesty is the best policy (truth is safest)
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst (be optimistic yet ready)
Hunger is the best sauce (hunger makes food tasty)
If at first you don’t succeed, try again (persist)
If the cap fits, wear it (accept justified criticism)
If the mountain won’t come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain (adapt approach)
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride (wishing changes nothing)
If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem (contribute or hinder)
If you desire peace, prepare for war (strength deters attack)
If you don’t make mistakes, you don’t make anything (creation entails error)
If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys (poor pay attracts poor talent)
If you run after two hares, you catch neither (split focus fails)
If you want a thing well done, do it yourself (self-reliance ensures quality)
Ignorance is bliss (not knowing can spare worry)
Bad news travels fast (misfortune spreads quickly)
Ill-gotten gains never prosper (dishonesty won’t thrive)
In one ear and out the other (quickly forgotten)
In the country of the blind, the one-eyed is king (limited ability leads among none)
It never rains but it pours (troubles come together)
It takes all sorts to make a world (people differ; accept it)
It takes a thief to catch a thief (like understands like)
It takes one to know one (faults spot similar faults)
It takes two to make a quarrel (arguments need both sides)
It takes two to tango (cooperation needs two)
It’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest (don’t harm your own)
It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good (someone benefits even from misfortune)
It’s easy to be wise after the event (hindsight is clearer)
It’s good fishing in troubled waters (some profit from disorder)
It is love that makes the world go round (love powers life)
It’s never too late to mend (improvement is always possible)
It’s not over till it’s over (don’t give up prematurely)
It’s not the end of the world (setbacks aren’t final)
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog (spirit beats size)
It’s no use crying over spilt milk (the past can’t be changed)
It takes money to make money (capital enables profit)
It takes all kinds of people to make a world (diversity is normal)
Jack of all trades, master of none (broad but shallow skill)
Keep a thing seven years and you’ll find a use for it (save; it may be useful)
Keep your shop and your shop will keep you (mind your business and it sustains you)
Kill the goose that lays the golden egg (destroy a good source)
Kill two birds with one stone (achieve two goals at once)
Know thyself (understand your nature)
Knowledge is power (information grants advantage)
Last but not least (last mentioned, still important)
Laugh and grow fat (laughter promotes well-being)
Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone (joy attracts company)
Least said, soonest mended (silence heals disputes)
Let bygones be bygones (forgive past wrongs)
Let sleeping dogs lie (don’t stir settled issues)
Actions have consequences (choices bring results)
After the storm comes the calm (turmoil is followed by peace)
Against the grain (contrary to custom or expectation)
A house divided cannot stand (internal conflict ruins groups)
A leopard can’t change its spots (core character persists)
All in good time (be patient; timing matters)
All is not lost (hope remains)
Another day, another dollar (routine workday grind)
April showers bring May flowers (hardship can yield growth)
Many hands make light work (shared effort eases tasks)
Measure twice, cut once (double-check before acting)
Necessity is the mother of invention (needs spark ideas)
No pain, no gain (effort is required for results)
No news is good news (silence may mean things are fine)
No place like home (home is best)
Nothing ventured, nothing gained (risk is needed for reward)
Once bitten, twice shy (caution after a bad experience)
Once in a blue moon (very rarely)
One good turn deserves another (kindness should be repaid)
One man’s meat is another man’s poison (tastes differ)
Opportunity knocks but once (chances are fleeting)
Out of sight, out of mind (absent things are forgotten)
Penny wise, pound foolish (save small, waste big)
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones (don’t be a hypocrite)
Practice makes perfect (repetition builds mastery)
Practice what you preach (act on your own advice)
Prevention is better than cure (avoid problems early)
Pride comes before a fall (arrogance leads to trouble)
Put your best foot forward (make a strong start)
Rome wasn’t built in a day (big things take time)
Silence is golden (quiet is valuable)
Slow and steady wins the race (consistent pace triumphs)
Strike while the iron is hot (act at the right moment)
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (children resemble parents)
The best of both worlds (two advantages at once)
The best things in life are free (real joys aren’t bought)
The devil is in the details (small parts matter most)
The early bird catches the worm (acting early gains advantage)
The grass is always greener on the other side (others’ lives seem better)
The pen is mightier than the sword (words beat force)
There are two sides to every story (perspectives differ)
There’s many a slip ’twixt cup and lip (plans can fail near success)
There’s no accounting for taste (preferences are mysterious)
There’s no time like the present (act now)
There’s no smoke without fire (rumors often have cause)
The road to hell is paved with good intentions (intent without action harms)
The squeaky wheel gets the grease (the loudest gets attention)
The straw that broke the camel’s back (final small burden causes collapse)
Too many cooks spoil the broth (too many helpers hinder)
Two heads are better than one (collaboration helps)
Two wrongs don’t make a right (retaliation isn’t justice)
Variety is the spice of life (diversity adds interest)
Waste not, want not (avoid waste to avoid need)
What goes around comes around (karma returns)
When in Rome, do as the Romans do (follow local customs)
When the going gets tough, the tough get going (strong people act under stress)
Where there’s a will, there’s a way (determination finds solutions)
You can’t have your cake and eat it too (can’t keep and consume)
You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs (progress needs sacrifice)
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink (can’t force action)
You reap what you sow (outcomes match inputs)
Better safe than sorry (caution averts regret)
Bite the bullet (face a painful task bravely)
Break the ice (start social interaction)
Burn bridges (damage relationships irreversibly)
By the skin of your teeth (narrowly)
Cross that bridge when you come to it (handle problems if they arise)
Cut to the chase (get to the point)
Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today (avoid procrastination)
Every dog is a lion at home (bold among familiars)
Give the devil his due (credit even an opponent fairly)
Good things come to those who wait (patience pays)
Haste makes waste (rushing causes errors)
Hit the books (study hard)
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it (avoid needless changes)
In for a penny, in for a pound (commit fully once started)
It takes a village (community effort enables success)
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer (watch rivals carefully)
Let the chips fall where they may (accept outcomes)
Like father, like son (children take after parents)
Look before you leap (consider risks first)
Make a mountain out of a molehill (exaggerate a small problem)
Make ends meet (cover basic expenses)
On thin ice (in a risky position)
On the fence (undecided)
Out of the frying pan into the fire (from bad to worse)
Pull yourself together (regain composure)
Put your money where your mouth is (back words with action)
Raise the bar (increase standards)
Saved by the bell (rescued at the last moment)
Six of one, half a dozen of the other (two options are essentially the same)
Speak of the devil (the discussed person appears)
Steal someone’s thunder (take credit or attention)
The ends justify the means (results can excuse methods—controversial)
The pot calling the kettle black (criticizing for a shared fault)
The proof of the pudding is in the eating (results are the real test)
Third time’s a charm (success often comes on the third try)
Time and tide wait for no man (time won’t pause)
Time heals all wounds (pain lessens over time)
To err is human, to forgive divine (everyone errs; forgiveness is noble)
A bad penny always turns up (an unwanted person/thing reappears)
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link (a system fails at its weakest part)
A rising tide lifts all boats (overall growth helps everyone)
A watched pot boils slowly (time feels longer when you watch it)
Clothes make the man (appearance influences judgment)
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth (don’t criticize a free gift)
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater (don’t discard the good with the bad)
Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes (withhold judgment without experience)
Give an inch and they’ll take a mile (small concessions invite larger demands)
Good fences make good neighbors (clear boundaries prevent conflict)
Home is where the heart is (true home is where you feel love)
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is (overly good offers are suspect)
If you can’t beat them, join them (adapt to a stronger rival)
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen (leave if you can’t handle pressure)
Keep your powder dry (stay prepared)
Laughter is the best medicine (humor helps healing)
Leave no stone unturned (search thoroughly)
Less is more (simplicity is powerful)
Let perfect be the enemy of good, not (pursuing perfection can block good results)
Lightning never strikes twice (rare misfortune seldom repeats)
Live and let live (tolerate others’ choices)
Look before you leap (consider risks first)
Make no mountain out of a molehill (don’t exaggerate small issues)
Many a little makes a mickle (small amounts accumulate)
Misery loves company (unhappy people seek others)
Money doesn’t grow on trees (money is hard-earned)
More haste, less speed (rushing causes delay)
Nature abhors a vacuum (emptiness attracts filling)
Never say never (don’t rule out possibilities)
No rest for the wicked (busy people get no break)
Nothing new under the sun (most things have precedents)
Offense is the best defense (aggression can protect)
Old habits die hard (routines are difficult to change)
One step at a time (progress gradually)
Only time will tell (outcomes become clear later)
Penny for your thoughts (what are you thinking?)
Put the shoe on the other foot (see from the other side)
Revenge is a dish best served cold (delayed revenge stings more)
Rules are made to be broken (rules sometimes must bend)
Seeing is believing (direct evidence convinces)
Still waters run deep (quiet people may be profound)
Talk is cheap (words without action mean little)
That ship has sailed (the opportunity has passed)
The bigger they are, the harder they fall (the mighty fail spectacularly)
The customer is always right (prioritize customer satisfaction)
The cure is worse than the disease (solution causes greater harm)
The exception proves the rule (exceptions highlight a general rule)
The nail that sticks out gets hammered (nonconformity attracts pressure)
The more the merrier (more people can be more fun)
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (intent exceeds ability)
There’s no such thing as a free lunch (everything has a cost)
Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it (ignorance invites repetition)
Time flies (time passes quickly)
Time is money (time has monetary value)
To each his own (preferences differ)
Too little, too late (help came after it mattered)
Two sides of the same coin (two aspects of one thing)
United we stand, divided we fall (unity brings strength)
Walls have ears (beware of being overheard)
Where there’s life there’s hope (as long as you live, hope remains)
While the cat’s away, the mice will play (absence invites mischief)
You can’t please everyone (universal approval is impossible)
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar (kindness persuades better)
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks (older people resist change)
Your guess is as good as mine (I don’t know either)
Youth is wasted on the young (youthful gifts aren’t appreciated)
All good things must come to an end (nothing lasts forever)
Better to light a candle than curse the darkness (take constructive action)
Fortune favors the prepared mind (preparation attracts luck)
From the frying pan into the fire (from bad to worse)
God laughs at man’s plans (plans are uncertain)
Great oaks from little acorns grow (big things start small)
He who sups with the devil needs a long spoon (deal cautiously with the dangerous)
Hope springs eternal (people keep hoping)
If you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas (bad company taints you)
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king (limited skill excels among none)
It never hurts to ask (asking may bring benefit)
Jack of all trades, master of none (broad but shallow skills)
Many hands make light work (shared effort eases tasks)
Measure of a man is how he treats the powerless (character shows in kindness)

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