Common Proverbs Collection

David

A
Abad penny always turns up.
Abird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Achain is no stronger than its weakest link.
Afool and his money are soon parted.
Afriend in need is a friend indeed.
Aman is known by his friends.
Aman is known by the company he keeps.
Aman's home is his castle.
Arolling stone gathers no moss.
Astitch in time saves nine.
Awoman's place is in the home.
Awoman's work is never done.
Absencemakes the heart grow fonder.
Actionsspeak louder than words.
Aftera storm comes a calm.
Allgood things must come to an end.
Allis fair in love and war.
Allroads lead to Rome.
Allthat glitters is not gold.
Allthe world loves a lover.
Allwork and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All'swell that ends well.
Anapple a day keeps the doctor away.
Appearancesare deceptive.
Aprilshowers brings May flowers.
Assoon as man is born he begins to die.
Asyou make your bed, so must you lie in it.
Asyou sow, so shall you reap.
Askno questions and hear no lies.
B                     
Badnews travels fast.
Barkingdogs seldom bite.
Beautyis only skin-deep.
Beggarscan't be choosers.
Betterlate than never.
Betterbe safe than sorry.
Betterdie with honor than live with shame.
Betterthe devil you know than the devil you don't know.
Betterto be alone than in bad company.
Birdsof a feather flock together.
Bloodis thicker than water.
Boyswill be boys.
Businessbefore pleasure.
Businessis business.
C                        
Charitybegins at home.
Christmascomes but once a year.
Cleanlinessis next to godliness.
Crimedoes not pay.
Curiositykilled the cat.
D
Deadmen have no friends.
Deadmen tell no tales.
Deathis the great leveler.
Diligenceis the mother of good fortune.
Discretionis the better part of valor.
Divideand rule.
Doas I say, and not as I do.
Donot wear out your welcome.
Dounto others as you would like them to do unto you.
Don'tcount your chickens before they are hatched.
Don'tcut off your nose to spite your face.
Don'tgo near the water until you learn how to swim.
Don'tput all your eggs in one basket.
Don'twash your dirty linen in public.
E
Earlyto bed and early to rise, make a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
Easiersaid than done.
Everybird loves to hear himself sing.
Everydog has his day.
Everyfamily has a skeleton in the cupboard.
Everyman has his faults.
Everyman has his price.
Everyman is his own worst enemy.
Everypicture tells a story.
Experienceis the best teacher.
Experienceis the mother of wisdom.
F
Failureteaches success.
Faithwill move mountains
Familiaritybreeds contempt.
Fearis stronger than love.
Fearof death is worse than death itself.
Fightfire with fire.
Finderskeepers, losers weepers.
Firstcome, first served.
Firstthings fist.
Firstthink, and then speak.
Foolsrush in where angels fear to tread.
G                           
Garbagein, garbage out.
Givecredit where credit is due.
Givehim an inch and he'll take a yard.
Givethe devil his due.
Godhelps them that help themselves.
Goodfences make good neighbors.
Goodnessis better than beauty.
Greatminds think alike.
H
Heis the best general who makes the fewest mistakes.
Hethat is master of himself, will soon be master of others.
Hethat knows nothing, doubts nothing.
Hethat plants a tree plants for posterity.
Hewho hesitates is lost.
Honestyis the best policy.
I                                
Ifa job's worth doing, it's worth doing well.
Ignoranceis bliss.
Ignoranceof the law excuses no man.
Infor a penny, in for a pound.
Itis best to be on the safe side.
Itis no use crying over spilt milk.
Itnever rains, but it pours.
Ittakes two to tango.
J
Jackof all trades, master of none.
K
Keepyour mouth shut and your ears open.
L            
Laughteris the best medicine.
Letbygones be bygones.
Letsleeping dogs lie.
Letthe buyer beware.
Letthe dead bury their dead.
Lifeis just a bowl of cherries.
Lightningnever strikes twice in the same place.
Likefather, like son.
Likemother, like daughter.
Liveand learn.
Liveand let live
Lookafter number one.
Lookbefore you leap.
Lookon the bright side.
Loveconquers all.
Loveis blind.
Lovemakes the world go round.
Lovesees no faults.
Lovewill find a way.
M                        
Makehay while the sun shines.
Mancannot live by bread alone.
Manyhands make light work.
Marriagesare made in heaven.
Mightis right.
Mindyour own business.
Moneyis the root of all evil.
Moneyisn’teverything.
N
Necessityis the mother of invention.
Neverjudge from appearances.
Neverlook a gift horse in the mouth.
Nevermix your liquor.
Neversay die.
Neverspeak ill of the dead.
Nevertoo late to learn.
Nevertoo late to repent.
Noman can serve two masters.
Noman is indispensable.
Nonews is good news.
Nopain, no gain.
Nothingis certain but death and taxes.
Nothingsucceeds like success.
Nothingventured, nothing gained.
O                              
Oldhabits die hard.
Oldsoldiers never die, they simply fade away.
Onegood turn deserves another.
Oneman's loss is another man's gain.
Opportunityseldom knocks twice.
Outof sight, out of mind.
P
Patienceis a virtue.
Pennywise, pound foolish.
Practicemakes perfect.
Practicewhat you preach.
Preventionis better than cure.
R
Rain,rain, go away, come again another day.
Ratsdesert a sinking ship.
Revengeis sweet.
RobbingPeter to pay Paul.
S                                       
Scratchmy back and I’ll scratch yours.
Seeingis believing.
Silenceis golden.
Somethingis better than nothing.
Sparethe rod and spoil the child.
Speakwhen you are spoken to.
Stillwaters run deep.
Strikewhile the iron is hot.
Sweetthings are bad for the teeth.
T
Thebest go first.
Thebest of friends must part.
Thebest things in life are free.
Thebigger they are, the harder they fall.
Theburnt child dreads the fire.
Theearly bird catches the worm.
Theend justifies the means.
Thefemale of the species is more deadly than the male.
Thefirst step is the hardest.
Thegrass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Thelast straw breaks the camel's back.
Themore one knows, the less one believes.
Themore you get, the more you want.
Thepot calls the kettle black.
Theproof of the pudding is in the eating.
Thereare only twenty-four hours in a day.
Thereare two sides to every question.
Thereis a time and a place for everything.
Thereis honor among thieves.
Thereis more than one skin to skin a cat.
Thereis safety in numbers.
There'sa black sheep in every flock.
There'sno fool like an old fool.
There'sno place like home.
There'sno smoke without fire.
There'sone law for the rich, and another for the poor.
Theythat dance must pay the fiddler.
Thingsare not always what they seem.
Thosewho live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Timecures all things.
Timeflies.
Timeis a great healer.
Timeis money.
Toerr is human.
Tomorrowis another day.
Toomany cooks spoil the broth.
Truelove never grows old.
Trustis the mother of deceit.
Turnthe other cheek.
Twoheads are better than one.
Twois company, three is a crowd.
Twowrongs do not make a right.
U                                
Unitedwe stand, divided we fall.
V
Varietyis the spice of life.
Virtueis its own reward.
W
Wallshave ears.
Wastenot, want not.
Whatyou don't know can’t hurt you.
Whenin doubt, do nothing.
Whenin Rome, do as the Romans do.
Whenthe cat's away, the mice will play.
Wherethere is no trust there is no love.
Wherethere's a will there's a way.
Y         
Youcan't make an omelette without breaking eggs.
Youcan't please everyone.
Youcan't take it with you when you die.
Youcan't tell a book by its cover.
Youcan't win them all.
Youcannot have it both ways.
Youcannot have your cake and eat it.
Youdon't get something for nothing.
Youwin some, you lose some.