What is Proverb ?
Proverb is a short sentence that is often used by people to express some advice or some meaningful truth about life or some general rules .
Examples – with meanings
A picture is worth a thousand words – A picture can express more or explain easily than words
A penny for your thoughts. – Tell me what you are thinking .
Absence makes the heart grow fonder – We love the people who are not with us more in their absence .
A penny saved is a penny earned. – Money that you save today, you can spend tomorrow.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. – If one person fails, the whole group can fail.
Appearance can be deceptive. – Something might be different from how they appeared outwardly.
All that glitters is not gold – Something might not be as valuable as it seems to be
A little learning is a dangerous thing . – People who don’t have complete knowledge but think that they have, are really dangerous
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – Taking the first step to reach the goal is very important.
A cat has nine lives. – Cats can survive in the most fatal accident.
A lean agreement is better than a fat lawsuit. – It is better to compromise or maintain an agreement rather than a lawsuit.
A diamond with a flaw is better than a common stone that is perfect. – A rare and precious opportunity that comes with some problems is better than a regular opportunity that is perfect.
A stitch in time saves nine . – It is better to deal with a problem immediately than letting them become bigger.
All is fair in love and war. – Rules of fairplay can be broken in extenuating circumstances.
A fool and his money are soon parted . – Fool loses money because of his foolish conduct .
All good things come to an end. – No great or good things last forever.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush . – What you presently have is better than what you might get .
All lay loads on a willing horse. – A person who says yes to every work, will find himself overloaded with work.
A drowning man will clutch at a straw . – If someone is in a difficult position , he or she will try to grasp any small opportunity to improve it .
A friend in need is a friend indeed .- A true friend is one who always helps you when you need it .
An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep. – An appropriate and strong leader is important.
All well that ends well . – If the result is good then it doesn’t matter how many problems were involved
After victory , tighten your helmet chord. – There is no room for complacency.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure . – You can prevent a problem with little effort but fixing it later can be harder.
An hour in the morning worth two in the evening. – People are generally more productive in the morning.
Action speaks louder than words . – An action is more important than speaking./ Taking necessary action is worth talking a lot .
A happy heart is better than a full purse. – Happiness is better than plenty .
An idle brain is the devil’s workshop . – When we are idle or not doing anything , evil thoughts come to our mind easily.
A jack of all trades is master of none . – A person with some knowledge in several fields can’t be a master in any field.
A ship in the harbour is safe , but that’s not what a ship is for. – Get out of your comfort zone to achieve your goal.
Among the blind the one eyed man is king . – Even an incapable person can hold the powerful position if other members in the group are more incapable
A good listener is a silent flatterer. – If you listen to someone attentively , you will flatter them .
A rolling stone gathers no miss – A person who changed his / her jobs frequently, always has the fewer responsibilities but also has no particular place to settle
A house divided cannot stand . – Unity is essential to get prosperity but a divided country, nation or organisation can’t achieve desired prosperity.
Ask no questions and hear no lies. – Don’t ask questions which people don’t want to answer.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away – Eating an apple daily is good for our health.
Adversity and loss make a man wise.- Experience of tough times can make a person wise.
A tree is known by its fruit. – People are known by their character like a tree is known by its fruit.
A watched pot never boils. – When waiting eagerly for something, time feels slower.
A goose quill is more dangerous than a lion’s claw. – Foul words can cause more pain than a physical attack.
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. – You lose nothing by enlightening the lives of others.
Always put your best foot forward. – Always try your best qualities to impress or to fulfil a job.
A leopard doesn’t change its spot .- A person can’t change his or her inner character .
After the feast comes the reckoning. – People tend to pray for their pleasures and indulgences.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. –
Working constantly but not entertaining or playing for enough times can make a person bored and dull.
An empty vessel makes a lot of noise . – Stupid or incapable person are more talkative
As you sow, so you shall reap . – Your actions or behaviour determines your results.
Beggars can’t be choosers. – People who are depending on others can’t choose by themselves or must be content with what is offered to them .
Better to be poor and healthy than rich and sick. – Health is more important than money.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder . – The perception of beauty varies from person to person.
Blood is thicker than water . – Family relationships are always stronger than other relationships .
Better to wear out rather than rust out. – It is better to stay active than being idle.
Barking dogs seldom bite. – People who appear threatening rarely do harm .
Better late than never. – Getting something late is better than getting it never .
Begin to weave and God will give the thread . – Start your job , God will help you .
Birds of a feather flock together. – Similar minded people stick together.
Bitter pills may have blessed effects. – Some bitter remedies can cure effectively.
Be slow in choosing , but slower in changing – Choose people or things after diligence , but once you choose , stick for long.
Beauty is only skin deep. – A person’s quality, character is far more important than his / her outer appearance.
Cleanliness is next to Godliness. – Cleanliness is a good virtue .
Clothes don’t make a man. – A person can be judged by his outward appearance.
Close but no cigar. – Though you did your all but still you may not be completely correct. / You tried hard but did not succeed in the game.
Cross that stream where it is shallowest. – Do things in the easiest way.
Curiosity killed the cat . – It can be dangerous to poke your nose in other people’s business.
Cowards die many times before their death. – Cowards suffer the fear effects of death many times in their lives.
Curses like chicken, come home to roost. – Wrongdoing tends to bother us.
Different strokes for different folks. – Different people have different needs .
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you . – Treat people fairly , you will be tested fairly.
Do as you would be done by . – Treat others like the way you would like to be treated.
Doctors make the worst patients. – It is difficult to advise a person on a matter in which he is an expert.
Don’t give up your day job. – You are not very good at this.
Don’t empty the water jar until the rain falls. – Don’t leave or quit or finish something before you get an appropriate replacement.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. – Don’t act roughly to the person on whom you are dependent.
Don’t beat a dead horse. – Move on, don’t regret what has already happened.
Don’t cast pearls before swine . – Don’t offer something valuable to those who don’t value it.
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. – Don’t hurt someone that can hurt yourself.
Discretion is the better part of valor . – It is wise to be careful and don’t show unnecessary bravery.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. – Some desperate actions may need to be taken to handle some desperate situation.
Don’t count your chicken before they hatch . – Don’t make plans based on events that have not yet happened.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket . – Don’t invest or risk everything on a single venture or option .
Don’t think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm. – Everything calm and peaceful doesn’t mean that there are no dangers around .
Don’t cross the bridges until you come to it. – Deal with a situation when it happens but don’t worry about it unnecessarily in advance .
Don’t throw the baby with the bathwater. – Don’t throw away something valuable while getting rid of something unnecessary.
Don’t make a mountain out of an anthill or molehill. – Don’t turn a minor problem into a major one.
Don’t bury your head in the sand. – Don’t refuse to accept the truth.
Don’t judge a book by its cover . – Don’t form an opinion or make a decision about someone by his / her appearance.
Don’t open a shop unless you know how to smile. – It is difficult to grow a shop and attract customers without your smile and good behaviour.
Don’t blow your own trumpet. – Don’t show off your achievements to others.
Early bird catches the worm . – One Who arrives first gets the best chance for success.
Empty bags can’t stand upright. – Hungry people can’t do his duties properly.
Enjoy it while it lasts. – Make the best of the present moment because it won’t last forever.
Easy come, easy go – Money can be earned easily but also can be spent easily.
Every tub must stand on its own bottom. – We must do our duty in team work and we can’t hide our inability.
Every cloud has a silver lining. – There is always a positive side to any difficult situation.
Eagles don’t catch flies. – Senior or great leader doesn’t take care of small problems.
Every dog has its day. – Everyone attains success at some point of their lives .
Every horse thinks its own pack is heaviest. – Everyone thinks that they are working harder than anyone.
First things first. – The most important things should be done before anything else.
Fool rush in where angels fear to tread. – A foolish person engages themselves in an unfavourable situation without thinking so much but wise people always think before engagement.
Familiarity breeds contempt. – The better you know someone the less you like him or her .
Forgive and forget – Pardon and don’t remember something about certain event
Fall seven times , stand up eight – Despite your failure, try hard again to get success.
Fine feathers make fine birds. – People with fine clothes and appearance attract more friends .
Forewarned is forearmed. – If you know about a problem in advance then you can deal with it in time.
Fortune favours the bolt . – Courageous actions are rewarded.
Faults are thick where love is thin. – Where there is almost no love , everyone tries to find faults in each other.
Flattery, like perfume, should be smelled but not swallowed. – Enjoy the flattery but don’t believe it because people flatter for their personal needs.
Give them an inch and they will take a mile. – If you allow people to take advantage of you, they will always try to take it.
Grief divided is made lighter. – If you share your grief it will be easier to bear.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. – Teaching skills to earn money is far better than helping with some money.
Good things come to those who wait . – Patience is rewarded.
Good wine needs no bush. – Good products need no promotion.
Get out while the going is good. – Get out of a situation while it’s easy to leave on good terms.
Good bargains empty the purse. – Good bargains can be tempting to spend more money to buy even unnecessary things.
Great minds think alike . – Intelligent people think similarly .
God helps those who help themselves. – Make sincere efforts, God will help you.
Good swimmers often drowned. – Overconfidence can damage even the competent.
He who laughs last laughs loudest. – It will get you back for what you did.
Honesty is the best policy . – Being honest is the best way to lead life .
Home is where the heart is. – Our peaceful home is closer to our heart.
Haste makes waste . Doing something so quickly can result in mistakes.
Half a loaf is better than none. – We should be thankful for what we have achieved even if it may not be as per our desire.
Half truth is whole life. – Not expressing the full truth is the same as a lie.
He is sitting on the fence. – He can’t make up his mind.
Head and feet keep warm, the rest will take no harm. – You need to take care of important things , then others will automatically work well.
Hope for the best but prepare for the worse. – Be optimistic but also prepare for a situation when things can go wrong.
He is the chip off the old block. – The son is like the father.
He is not playing with a full deck. – He is dumb.
He who hesitates is lost. – Wait too long and you might lose the opportunity.
He has bigger fish to fry . – He has bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about now.
Hindsight is better than foresight. – It is easier to evaluate the past choices than the choices in the present.
He is off his rocker. – He is crazy .
Hit the nail on the head. – Get something exactly right .
Hard words break no bones. – It is often good to tell the harsh truth .
Hunger drives the wolf out of the wood. – Hunger makes the wolf compelled to come out of the wood . Like that necessity compelled the poor to take desperate steps .
If you play with fire, you’ll get burned. – You may get harmed while taking on dangerous projects.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. – If something is going well then there is no reason to change it.
It is no use crying over spilt milk . – Don’t be upset about something that has already happened.
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings. – This is not over yet
If you want peace, prepare for war. – If you prepare for war during the period of peace then your enemy will not attack you again.
It is better to be safe than sorry. – It is better to take precautions than regret later .
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. – Things never happened with just wishes. If it happens like that, then even the poorest person will have everything that he wishes.
Ignorance is bliss. – If you don’t know something , you don’t need to think or bother about it .
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. – Everyone would be flattered if he or she is imitated by someone.
If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly. – Good quality can’t be found cheap.
It’s easy to be wise after the event . – It is easy to understand what you could have done to prevent something bad after it has already happened.
It’s better to lose the battle and win the war. – To win something big, you can lose something smaller.
It’s the tip of the iceberg. – Present problem is not the entire problem but more difficult situation can arrive ahead.
It is always darkest before dawn . – Things are going to be better.
It takes two to quarrel. – A quarrel won’t happen without the involvement of minimum two people.
It’s not over till it’s over . – Until the event is completely over, you have every chance to win or to get success.
If you can’t beat them , join them. – If you can’t defeat your opponents then work alongside them for your mutual benefit.
If you scratch my back , I will scratch yours. – If you help me , I will also help you.
It takes a village to raise a child. – An entire community is needed to nourish a child perfectly.
It is the poor workman who blames his tools. – If you fail, don’t blame others for this.
It takes one to know one . – You are just as bad as I am .
It’s part of a good shepherd to shear his flock, not to skin it. – People should not be subjected to discomfort beyond tolerance.
It takes two to tango. – One person alone is not responsible where both are involved.
It’s never too late to mend. – It’s never too late to change your wrong habits .
It’s raining cats and dogs. – It’s raining hard or It’s raining too much .
It’s easy to find a thousand soldiers, but hard to find a good general. – Leaders are not easy to find . So retain them at whatever price you have to pay for this.
Justice delayed is justice denied. – A delayed justice can affect a person so much . It causes suffering in terms of time and money .
Kill two birds with one stone. – Get two things done with a single action or plan .
Kings have long arms . – Government has far – reaching powers.
Kind words will unlock an iron door . – If you talk politely you can convince people even in adverse situations.
Learn to walk before you run. – Learn basic skills at first and then capitalise on it to go fast.
Let sleeping dogs lie. – Don’t talk unnecessarily about a bad situation that people have forgotten and that could create problems in the present time .
Laughter is the best medicine . – Trying to be happy is always the best way to stay healthy
Least said soonest mended. – Don’t be so angry or upset that you can use rough languages, but restrain yourself . Words have a long lasting impression.
Look before you leap . – Act after considering the following consequences.
Love me, love my dogs. – If you love someone , you should respect and love his qualities, shortcomings, imotions, rituals and families.
Long absent, soon forgotten. – If you don’t meet or speak to a relative for a long time then he / she will be forgotten.
Lend your money and lose your friend . – Lending money to your friend can cost you losing the friendship.
Like people, like priests. – Quality of the leader is almost identical to the group of people from where they are coming .
Lie down with dogs , wake up with fleas. – You will become like your own company.
Live and learn. – I made a mistake.
Lightning never strikes twice in the same place. – Misfortune doesn’t affect twice the same person in the same way .
Many hands make light work. – When many people work together to solve a difficult task, it becomes easier.
Make yourself all honey and the flies will devour you. – If you always use sweet language to please people unnecessarily then people will not respect you always.
Mind your own business. – Not to interfere in someone else’s matters .
Murder will out. – Secret will not remain secret.
Make hay while the sunshine. – Do most of the work in a favourable situation.
Money doesn’t grow on trees. – It requires effort to earn money.
More die of food than famine. – More people die because of eating excess foods or unhealthy foods , but not due to shortage of foods.
Make the best of a bad bargain. – To get the best possible outcome of a bad situation.
My hands are tied. – Someone is unable to do the change or to help others in a situation.
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. – Don’t delay a task if you can do it now.
Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you. – Be prepared in life . But don’t unnecessarily trouble yourself.
Night brings counsel. – A good sleep at night can solve many difficulties.
Never taste the depth of the water with both feet . – Don’t put all your eggs in the same basket. / If you are in the water with both feet down, then you are at risk of being swept away by the current .
No news is good news. – If you don’t receive any news about something or someone then it means everything is fine .
No man is an island. – We are dependent on each other. We are not alone.
New lords , new laws. – New government has its own rules.
Necessity is the mother of invention. – When you need something, you can get the way to find it .
No gain without pain. – You need to work hard to get success.
Out of sight is out of mind . – People or things that are no longer present , are easily forgotten.
Oaks may fall when reeds stand the storm. – Those who are flexible can survive in a crisis condition that brings down powerful people who are unable to adapt.
One good turn deserves another. – If someone does you a favour, you should always repay it to him or her.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire. – Things are going to get worse from bad .
One law for the rich and another for the poor. – The law should be the same for both . But the rich utilised their power and money to hire skillful lawyers to get favourable decisions.
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure . – What seems to be junk to any person may be valuable to others .
One shouldn’t miss the forest for trees . – Don’t miss the larger context by focussing on the smaller one .
One should fight fire with fire . – Tit for tat / Use the same method to beat them .
Politeness costs little but yields much. – If you speak politely then it will not cost you much but it will bring you many friends and followers.
Practice what you preach . – Follow what you want others to follow .
Practice makes perfect. – If you practice regularly you can become better at any skill.
Persuasion is better than force. – A better result can be achieved by persuasion than force.
Possession is nine – tenth of the law . – If one has possession then ownership is easy to maintain.
Rome wasn’t built in a day . – Good work takes time .
Rich man’s jokes are always funny. – People agree with and flatter rich people so much and always appreciate their words.
Strike while the iron is hot. – Take advantage of an opportunity right away and before it extinguishes.
Shape up or ship out. – Work better or leave.
Shrouds have no pockets. – We arrived in this world with nothing and will depart from this world with nothing.
Smooth seas don’t make skillful sailors. – Working in a regular project will not bring out your hidden qualities and it can’t enhance your skills.
Slow but steady wins the race . – Reliability , maturity, and compactness are more important than speed .
Still water runs deep. – If a person doesn’t talk much or is calm that doesn’t mean that he has no depth or no interest in the subject or matter.
Silence is the half consent. – If you are silent and not objecting to any words or matter then you are almost supporting this .
Time and tide wait for none . – You have no control over the passage of time, so don’t waste it .
Time is money. – Don’t waste time. / Work quickly.
The ball is in your court . – It is your turn to make the decision.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. – Nothing is entirely free.
The grass is always greener on the other side . – Other people always seem to be in a better position , although it might not be true .
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. – A child has similar characteristics to their parents.
The longest mile is the last mile home . – The end of something that feels the most difficult.
The course of true love never runs smooth. – True love has ups and downs.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. – Good intention doesn’t matter if the outcomes are bad.
The forbidden fruit is always the sweetest.- The prohibited things seem to be more attractive.
The end justifies the means. – A good result justifies the way you achieved the result.
That ship has sailed. – It’s too late.
There is no time like the present. – The best time to do the job is right now.
The fish always stinks from the heads downwards. – The effect always spreads from top towards the bottom in any organisation. The decision or inabilities at the top will affect downwards.
There is a method to his madness. – He seems crazy but actually he is clever.
There are more ways than one to skin a cat. – There is more than one way to reach the destination.
There are clouds on the horizon. – Trouble is coming.
There is truth in wine. – People when drunk often speak truth unwittingly.
The highest branch is not the safest branch . – Highest position can be vulnerable because others can try to hold the position .
The show must go on. – Despite having problems, the event or show must go on .
The pen is mightier than the sword. – Written words are more effective than sword or force or fight .
The tongue is but three inches long, yet it can kill a man six feet tall. – We should avoid using foul language because it can destroy our reputation.
Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. – People who are morally questionable shouldn’t criticise others.
The only free cheese is in the mousetrap. – There are rarely complete free offers , they may come attached with hooks.
The proof of pudding is eating. – You can judge the quality of something after you have tried or used it.
The higher the monkey climbs the more he shows his tails. – The higher an unable person rises in an organisation, the more his/ her inabilities are exposed.
The devil is in the details. – It can be good from a distance, but when you come closer or try to know more, there are problems.
The longest way around is the shortest way home . – If you want to achieve the desired quality then work carefully but not cut corners.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. – People who complain the most are the ones who get attention.
The family that prays or eats together stays together. – A good bonding among the family members is built when they meet together while they eat or pray.
The first step is always the hardest. – To start a new venture or stepping out from our comfort zone is the hardest step.
The harder you work , the luckier you get. – To achieve more you need to work hard.
There are other fish in the sea. – You have missed the opportunity but you can get another one also.
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down . – If you deviate from the norm you can get resistance.
To know the road ahead , ask those coming back. – Before engaging in a job or work or profession ask those who have already engaged themselves in the same .
Two wrongs don’t make a right . – Someone’s wrongful conduct is not a justification for acting in the same way .
Two heads are better than one . – Two people have a better chance to solve a problem than one .
Too many cooks spoil the broth. – When too many people work on the same project , the result can be inferior.
Use it or lose it. – Not using a skill or instrument may lead you to losing it.
Until the lions produce their own historian, the story of the hunt will glorify only the hunter. – History is written by the victors and they usually glorify themselves.
Variety is the spice of life. – New and exciting experiences make our life more interesting.
Watch the doughnut and not the hole . – Focus on what you have and not on what you don’t.
Walk the walk, talk the talk. – First show worth, then do flaunt it . Take the necessary actions that are needed.
What can you expect from a pig but a grunt ? – What can you expect from a bad character but foul and rough language?
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. – What is good for men is good for women .
Waste not, want not . – Don’t waste things , you will have enough .
Words must be weighed, not counted. – Words count doesn’t matter, but the matter is how effective they’re.
Where one door shuts, another opens . – When you lose an opportunity , another opportunity will appear .
We see eye to eye. – We agree.
Willful waste makes woeful want. – If you waste something you will regret it in the future.
What goes around comes around. – If someone treats others badly , he or she can be treated badly by someone else.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way . – If you are determined to get something, you will find the way to achieve it .
Where there is smoke, there is fire . – If there is rumour that something is true , then it must be at least partly true .
When in Rome, do as the Romans do . – Follow the local custom or system when you are abroad .
Why buy a cow when milk is so cheap ? – You can avoid buying unnecessary assets while you can do with far cheaper options.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going . – When the condition becomes difficult, the tough people take action.
What goes around comes around. – If you do wrong, you will get wrong in the future.
When a twig grows hard , it is difficult to twist it. – A person can be modified and built properly when they are young but not when he or she has grown up.
Well begun is half done. – Getting a good start is important.
Why keep a dog and bark yourself ? – Sometimes you have employees to do a specific job but you still engage yourself in the same job.
While the cats are away the mice will play . – Without supervision people will do as they please and they can disregard the rules.
When it rains it pours. – Everything is going wrong at once .
You reap what you sow. – You get what you deserve.
You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar . – You can easily get people to your side with politeness and love but not with confrontation and threats.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. – People who have long been doing their jobs in a particular way , they will not try to learn the new tricks to do their jobs .
You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs . – There’s always a cost to doing something.
You can’t always get what you want. – Sometimes your wish may not be fulfilled.
You don’t fatten a pig by weighing it . – If you test a student too much in a particular matter to improve his or her performance, it may not always work.
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink . – You can show people the way to do things , but you can’t force them to do the things.
You can have too much of a good thing. – If you have too much of something, that normally becomes good . But it can become bad in excess.
You made your bed, now you have to lie in it. – You have brought the situation and now you have to deal with it.
You show me the man and I can show you the rules. – Rules change depending on how powerful the person is who is going to be affected by the rules
You can’t have your cake and eat it too. – You can’t have everything.
