Actual Sayings

REFERENCE: ORIGINAL SAYINGS

A glossary of the real-world proverbs and phrases Syd is mangling, for quick reference.

A:

• “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link” — A group is only as capable as its least capable member
• “A fool and his money are soon parted” — Foolish people lose their money easily
• “A leopard can’t change its spots” — People can’t change their fundamental nature
• “A penny for your thoughts” — Asking someone what they’re thinking (implying their thoughts have little value)
• “A rolling stone gathers no moss” — Someone who keeps moving doesn’t accumulate responsibilities or attachments
• “A watched pot never boils” — Things seem to take longer when you’re waiting impatiently
• “Actions speak louder than words” — What you do matters more than what you say
• “An eye for an eye” — Punishment should match the offense (from Hammurabi’s Code / Bible)
• “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” — Healthy habits prevent illness

B:

• “Baby steps” — Small, gradual progress
• “Babes in the woods” — Innocent, naive people in a dangerous situation (from a folk tale about abandoned children)
• “Back to the wall” — In a desperate, defensive position with no retreat
• “Barking up the wrong tree” — Pursuing a mistaken course of action
• “Beggars can’t be choosers” — If you’re in need, you can’t be picky about what you get
• “Better safe than sorry” — It’s wiser to be cautious than to regret taking risks
• “Birds of a feather flock together” — People with similar interests or traits group together
• “Bite the hand that feeds you” — To harm or betray someone who supports you
• “Black sheep” — The odd one out in a group or family; a misfit
• “Blessing in disguise” — Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good
• “Blood is thicker than water” — Family bonds are stronger than other relationships
• “Bull in a china shop” — A clumsy or reckless person in a delicate situation
• “Burn that bridge / cross that bridge when you come to it” — Deal with problems when they arise, not before

C:

• “Can’t take it with you” — You can’t bring your wealth or possessions into death
• “Cart before the horse” — Doing things in the wrong order
• “Catch more flies with honey than vinegar” — Kindness is more persuasive than harshness
• “Children should be seen and not heard” — An old (and harsh) saying that children should be quiet around adults
• “Child’s play” — Something very easy to do
• “Chink in the armor” — A small weakness in an otherwise strong defense
• “Close to the vest” — Keeping your plans or feelings secret
• “Clothes make the man” — People are judged by how they dress
• “Count your chickens before they hatch” — Assuming success before it happens
• “Chickens come home to roost” — Past actions catch up with you; consequences arrive
• “Cross that bridge when you come to it” — Deal with future problems when they happen
• “Cry wolf” — To raise false alarms, so no one believes you when it’s real (from Aesop’s fable)
• “Curiosity killed the cat” — Being too nosy can get you in trouble

D:

• “Day in court” — A fair chance to be heard or judged
• “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” — Don’t question the value of a gift (checking a horse’s teeth tells its age)
• “Ducks in a row” — Having everything organized and prepared

E:

• “Early bird catches the worm” — Those who act first get the best opportunities
• “Ear of corn” — Literally the seed-bearing part of a corn plant; used here as a pun on “ear”
• “Eat an elephant one bite at a time” — Tackle large tasks in small, manageable pieces
• “Eat crow” — To be forced to admit you were wrong; humiliation
• “Every cloud has a silver lining” — Every bad situation has a positive aspect
• “Every dog has its day” — Everyone gets their moment of success eventually
• “Every rose has its thorns” — Beautiful things come with downsides
• “Eye of the storm” — The calm center of a chaotic situation

F:

• “Fall guy” — A scapegoat; someone who takes the blame for others
• “Fed to the wolves” — Abandoned or sacrificed to hostile forces
• “Fight fire with fire” — Combat aggression with equal aggression
• “Fire in your belly” — Passion, determination, drive
• “First shall be last” — The powerful/privileged will be humbled (Biblical, Matthew 20:16)
• “Fish out of water” — Someone in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable situation
• “Flock together” — To gather as a group (see “birds of a feather”)
• “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” — I should learn from being deceived
• “Fox guarding the henhouse” — Putting a predator in charge of what they’d exploit
• “Free of charge” — At no cost

G:

• “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach him to fish, feed him for a lifetime” — Long-term solutions beat short-term aid
• “Glass houses / people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” — Hypocrites shouldn’t criticize others for faults they share
• “Grass is always greener on the other side” — Other people’s situations always look better than yours

H:

• “He who laughs last, laughs longest” — The final victor enjoys the deepest satisfaction
• “Hold your horses” — Slow down, be patient
• “Hold to a higher standard” — Expect better behavior or quality from someone
• “Honesty is the best policy” — It’s always better to tell the truth
• “Horse’s mouth / straight from the horse’s mouth” — Information from the most direct, reliable source
• “Horseplay” — Rough, rowdy, foolish behavior
• “House of cards” — A fragile structure or plan that can easily collapse

I:

• “Ignorance is bliss” — Not knowing about problems makes you happier
• “In the nick of time” — Just barely in time
• “Iron’s in the fire / irons in the fire” — Projects or plans currently in progress
• “It takes a village (to raise a child)” — Raising children requires community support

K:

• “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer” — Monitor your adversaries carefully (often attributed to Sun Tzu or The Godfather)
• “Kill two birds with one stone” — Accomplish two things with a single action
• “Knowledge is power” — Having information gives you an advantage (Francis Bacon)

L:

• “Lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” — You can offer help but can’t force someone to accept it
• “Leopard can’t change its spots” — People don’t change their fundamental nature
• “Let sleeping dogs lie” — Don’t stir up old problems; leave things alone
• “Let the cat out of the bag” — To reveal a secret
• “Like taking candy from a baby” — Something extremely easy to do
• “Lion lies down with the lamb” — Peace between natural enemies (Biblical imagery, Isaiah 11:6)
• “Lion’s share” — The largest portion (from Aesop’s fable)

M:

• “Masters of their own destiny” — People who control their own fate
• “Measure twice, cut once” — Plan carefully before acting
• “Milk of human kindness” — Natural human compassion and generosity (Shakespeare, Macbeth)
• “Money doesn’t grow on trees” — Money is hard-earned, don’t waste it
• “More than one way to skin a cat” — There are multiple approaches to solving a problem
• “More than you can bear” — More than you can handle or endure
• “Mouth of madness” — The edge of insanity; entering a terrifying situation
• “Mouth of the river” — Where a river meets the sea; the source or end point of a flow
• “Mouth to feed” — A person (usually a dependent) who needs food and care

O:

• “Old dog, new tricks” — See “can’t teach an old dog new tricks”
• “Once bitten, twice shy” — A bad experience makes you cautious about trying again
• “One foot in the grave” — Very old or close to death
• “Open a can of worms” — To create a complicated mess by addressing a problem
• “Other side of the coin” — A different perspective on the same issue
• “Out of the mouths of babes” — Children sometimes say surprisingly wise or truthful things (Biblical, Psalm 8:2)
• “Out of your league” — Beyond your ability or status

P:

• “Parted ways” — Separated, went in different directions
• “Path of least resistance” — The easiest route or approach
• “Pay the piper” — Face the consequences of your actions (from the Pied Piper legend)
• “Pen is mightier than the sword” — Writing and ideas are more powerful than violence
• “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely” — Authority tends to make people abuse it (Lord Acton)
• “Pride goeth before a fall” — Arrogance leads to downfall (Biblical, Proverbs 16:18)
• “Proof of the pudding is in the eating” — You can only judge something by trying it (NOT “proof is in the pudding”)
• “Put all your eggs in one basket” — To risk everything on a single plan

R:

• “Reap what you sow” — You get the consequences you deserve based on your actions
• “Rob Peter to pay Paul” — Take from one obligation to cover another
• “Rolling stone gathers no moss” — A person who keeps moving avoids responsibilities
• “Rome wasn’t built in a day” — Great things take time
• “Row your own boat” — Handle your own affairs; be self-sufficient

S:

• “Seeds of doubt” — Small suspicions planted to grow into larger distrust
• “She’ll be coming around the mountain” — An American folk song about someone’s anticipated arrival
• “Shop around” — To compare options before committing
• “Silk purse out of a sow’s ear” — You can’t make something fine from inferior materials
• “Skin a cat” — See “more than one way to skin a cat”
• “Snake in the grass” — A hidden, treacherous enemy
• “Sorry for your losses” — A condolence phrase
• “Spare the rod, spoil the child” — Without discipline, children become spoiled (Biblical, Proverbs 13:24)
• “Spots on a map” — Locations marked on a map
• “Stone cold” — Completely cold; utterly without emotion
• “Stone’s throw away” — Very nearby
• “Straw that broke the camel’s back” — The final small thing that causes a collapse
• “Strike while the iron is hot” — Act quickly when the opportunity is right (blacksmithing metaphor)
• “Suffer the little children to come unto me” — Let children approach (Jesus’s words, Matthew 19:14)
• “Sword of Damocles” — An ever-present threat hanging over someone (Greek legend about a sword suspended by a single hair)

T:

• “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” — Children resemble their parents
• “The best defense is a good offense” — Attacking prevents you from being attacked
• “The truth shall set you free” — Knowing the truth liberates you (Biblical, John 8:32)
• “The worm turns” — Even the meekest person will eventually fight back
• “The writing’s on the wall” — Clear signs of inevitable doom (Biblical, Daniel 5)
• “Third time’s the charm” — The third attempt will succeed
• “Thorn in your side” — A persistent source of annoyance or difficulty
• “Thoughts and prayers” — A (often criticized as empty) expression of sympathy
• “Time will tell” — The outcome will become clear eventually
• “Tree of knowledge” — The forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden; forbidden wisdom
• “Tricks of the trade” — Specialized techniques learned through experience
• “Trust but verify” — Trust people but confirm what they tell you (popularized by Reagan, originally a Russian proverb)
• “Turn on you” — To betray someone who trusted you
• “Turn the other cheek” — Respond to aggression with nonviolence (Biblical, Matthew 5:39)
• “Two birds stoned at once” — A malapropism of “kill two birds with one stone” (popularized by Ricky from Trailer Park Boys)
• “Two heads are better than one” — Collaboration produces better results

V:

• “Village idiot” — The least intelligent person in a community

W:

• “Walls have ears” — Be careful, someone might be listening
• “Water under the bridge” — Past events that are no longer important
• “Weather the storm” — To endure a difficult period and come through it
• “What goes around comes around” — Actions have consequences; karma
• “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” — Determination finds solutions
• “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire” — If there are signs of a problem, the problem probably exists
• “Wolf at the door” — Poverty or danger threatening your home
• “Wolf in sheep’s clothing” — A dangerous person pretending to be harmless (Biblical, Matthew 7:15)
• “Word to the wise” — A brief warning to someone smart enough to heed it
• “Work is never done / a woman’s work is never done” — There are always more tasks to do
• “Worm’s eye view” — A perspective from below; seeing things from a humble or low vantage point

Y:

• “Yell fire in a crowded theater” — To cause dangerous panic (from a famous Supreme Court free speech analogy)
• “You can’t have your cake and eat it too” — You can’t enjoy something and still have it; you have to choose
• “You can’t take it with you” — Material wealth is useless after death