Proverbs/Idioms List

A bad workman quarrels with his tools

1. A bear sucking his paws
2. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush
3. A bird of ill-omen
4. A black sheep infects the whole flock
5. A blind man is no judge of colours
6. A blot on one's escutcheon
7. A bolt from the blue
8. A bosom friend
9. A box containing amazing variety of odd things
10. A broken feather in one's wing
11. A broken sack will hold no corn
12. A bundle of mischief
13. A burnt child dreads the fire
14. A camouflage
15. A cheap buyer takes bad meat
16. A childhood pal
17. A child's play
18. A closed mouth catches no flies
19. A close-fisted man
20. A cobbler should stick to his last
21. A common horse is worst shod
22. A concealed danger
23. A confused ruler, a chaotic state
24. A constant cause of misery
25. A cry in the wilderness
26. A cry in wilderness
27. A cunning fellow
28. A dangerous place
29. A dare devil
30. A dense croud
31. A dependable and most trusted associate
32. A dependable person
33. A dimwit
34. A dog-in-the manger
35. A dog-like sleep
36. A downright fool
37. A drop in the ocean
38. A drowning man catches at a straw
39. A fair face and foul heart
40. A fair face cannot have a crabbed heart
41. A fair face needs no paints
42. A fair name to be tarnished
43. A family line to be extinguished
44. A far-sighted view
45. A figure among ciphers
46. A fly in the ointment
47. A foe in the garb of a friend
48. A fool who apes the wise man
49. A fool's bolt is soon shot
50. A fox should not be on the jury at a goose's trail
51. A friend in need
52. A friend in need is a friend indeed
53. A full purse never lacks friends
54. A gem in refuse, a jewel in rags
55. A godsend
56. A good marksman may miss the mark
57. A good word costs nothing
58. A greedy man is always a needy man
59. A happy augury for money to come in soon
60. A hessian
61. A hireling
62. A hourse of cards
63. A house of cards
64. A hurdle on the way
65. A large issue lurking behing a seemingly trivial question
66. A lie has no legs to stand upon
67. A light in darkness
68. A light purse is a great curse
69. A lingering sorrow to revive
70. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing
71. A little learning is a dangerous thing
72. A little pot is soon hot
73. A logical utterance
74. A lone soldier cannot win a battle
75. A lone soldier cannot win a war
76. A long tongue has a short hand
77. A long way off. far off
78. A longing to be fulfilled
79. A loss to be sustained
80. A low born person feels proud of his honour
81. A lucky guy
82. A man is known by the company he keeps
83. A man with brain topsy-turvy
84. A man's follyis his greatest secret
85. A mercenary
86. A most disappointing result
87. A mountain hidden behind a mole-hill
88. A move that yielded success
89. A new broom sweeps clean
90. A nine day's wonder
91. A nitwit
92. A nitwit with a fat purse
93. A nod to the wise
94. A penny plain and two pence coloured
95. A person of loose character
96. A person with constantly varying views
97. A phenomenon impossible to occur
98. A pimple has gron upon an ulcer
99. A pimple has grown upon an ulcer
100. A place of comfort and security
101. A plan to fail
102. A precise and to-the-point answer
103. A prophet is seldom honoured in his own country
104. A pund in the purse is worth two in books
105. A puppet in the hands of
106. A puppet inthe hands of
107. A quack endangers life
108. A really noble heart will never disgrace oneself
109. A recommendee
110. A robber in the garb of a saint
111. A rolling stone gathers no moss
112. A self evident fact requires no proof
113. A self-evident fact requires no proof
114. A short-lived happiness
115. A single misfortune will not bring disaster
116. A small fry
117. A smokescreen
118. A smooth operator
119. A snake in the grass
120. A soft answer turns away wrath
121. A solution to appear in sight
122. A spineless person
123. A squabble to break out between
124. A starving person
125. A stitch in time saves nine
126. A strikingly remarkable utterance
127. A stupid person
128. A sudden calamity to befall
129. A suggestive paradox throwing light
130. A tale that knows no end
131. A thrashed army resorts to rampage
132. A tough old fellow
133. A trickster
134. A verbal duel
135. A very dangerous person
136. A wandering ascetic and flowig water are unfathomable
137. A watched pot never boils
138. A water bubble
139. A windfall
140. A wise fox will never rob his neibhour's hen-roost
141. A wish that did not materialize
142. A wonder casket
143. A word to the wise
144. A world of difference
145. A worthless fellow
146. Absolutely exact
147. Achilles'heel
148. Act in haste, have nasty taste
149. Actual testing
150. Addle-headed
151. Adjournment motion
152. Adversity flatters no man
153. Afflicted by ill luck
154. After death, the doctor (help arrived when it was too late)
155. After me, the deluge
156. After me, the deluge (i care not what happens when i am dead)
157. Airs and graces
158. All are not alike
159. All are not saints that go to the church
160. All between cradle and coffin is uncertain
161. All cats look grey in the dark
162. All covet, all lost
163. All his geese are swans
164. All is well that ends well
165. All one'a goese are swans
166. All that glitters is not gold
167. All the glow of one's face is gone
168. Alms giving never made any man poor
169. Alms to the poor is lending to the lord
170. An affair from which one cannot emerge unscathed
171. An altercation
172. An angler eats more than he gets
173. An apathetic government
174. An ape is an ape, thouh clad in silk or scarlet
175. An apple of one's eyes
176. An ass in lion's skin
177. An ass with two panniers
178. An authority difficult to wield
179. An eagle does not hawk at flies
180. An easy job
181. An empty mind is a devil's workshop
182. An empty vessel thunders much
183. An example is better than precept
184. An experience beyond words
185. An eye sore
186. An idle ma's brain is a devil's workshop
187. An ill-conceived scheme
188. An important work being attempted by an unimportant person
189. An infirm structure
190. An insignificant being
191. An intruder
192. An invaluable remark
193. An old dog learns no new tricks
194. An omen for monetary gain
195. An omen for money to flow in
196. An open door will tempt even a saint
197. An unpleasant situation getting worse
198. An unprincipled person
199. An unusual assortment of defferent kinds of elements
200. An unwanted person
201. An unwelcome presence
202. Angry man is seldom at ease
203. Anything not to be relied on
204. Apple of one's eyes
205. Apple sauce
206. April showers bring forth may flowers
207. As broad as it is long
208. As commanded
209. As different as chalk from cheese
210. As like as chalk to cheese
211. As long as there is life, there is hope
212. As rich as a new shorn sheep
213. As the crow flies
214. As the crow is, so the egg shall be
215. As the king, so are the subjects
216. As the name, so are the attributes
217. As you sow, so shall you reap
218. As you sow, so shall you reep
219. As you wish!
220. At all costs
221. At any cost
222. At death's door
223. At random
224. At throw-away price
225. Authentic statement
226. Avarice is the root of all evils

English Proverbs & Sayings

 

A bad excuse is better than none.	Always give an excuse, even if it's a poor one.
A bad penny always turns up.	An unwanted or disreputable person constantly comes back.
A bad tree does not yield good apples.	A bad parent does not raise good children.
A bad workman blames his tools.	Blaming the tools for bad workmanship is an excuse for lack of skill.
A barking dog seldom bites.	Someone who constantly makes threats rarely carries them out.
A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.	It is better to keep what you have rather than to risk losing it by searching for something better.
A black plum is as sweet as a white.	People should not be judged by their appearance.
A book holds a house of gold.	There is a wealth of knowledge in books.
A broken friendship may be soldered but will never be sound.	Friendships can be rebuilt after a dispute but will never be as strong as before.
A burden of one's own choice is not felt.	Something difficult seems easier when it is done voluntarily.
A burnt child dreads the fire.	A bad experience will make people stay away from certain things.
A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor.	A person shows their competence or ability when difficulties arise.
A cat has nine lives.	1) Cats can survive many accidents because they land on their feet without injury. 2) Nine lives = 3 years to play, 3 years to stray, 3 years to stay.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.	The strength of a group depends on each individual member.
A change is as good as a rest.	A change in routine is often as refreshing as a break or a holiday.
A constant guest is never welcome.	If you come to visit too often, your host will be less pleased to see you.
A danger foreseen is half avoided.	If you are prepared to face a problem or difficulty, it will be easier to deal with.
A day of sorrow is longer than a month of joy.	Times goes by very quickly when you are happy and very slowly when you are sad.
A drop of ink may make a million think.	A thought expressed in writing (perhaps published in a newspaper) can influence a large number of people.
A dry March, a wet April and a cool May fill barn and cellar and bring much hay.	Harvest predictions are made according to the weather.
A fault confessed is half redressed.	Confession is the beginning of forgiveness.
A flower blooms more than once.	If you miss an occasion, you can avail yourself of it another time.
A fly will not get into a closed mouth. A closed mouth catches no flies.	If you learn when to keep silent you will avoid trouble.
A fool and his money are (soon) easily parted.	A foolish person usually spends money carelessly.
A fool at forty is a fool forever.	If a person hasn't matured by the age of 40, they never will.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.	Someone who helps you when you are in trouble is a real friend.
A friend to all is a friend to none.	Someone who is a friend to everyone makes none of them feel special.
A friend's eye is a good mirror.	A real friend will tell you the truth.
A good beginning makes a good end.	If a task is carefully planned, there's a better chance that it will be well done.
A good conscience is a soft pillow.	You sleep well when you have nothing to be guilty about.
A good example is the best sermon.	Giving a good example is better than giving advice.
A good mind possesses a kingdom.	Intellectual assets are more valuable than material ones.
A good name is better than a good face.	A good reputation is better than a good appearance.
A growing youth has a wolf in his belly.	Young boys eat a lot / are often hungry.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser.	If you know that you have done something wrong, you don't need anyone to tell you that you're guilty.
A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.	Patience is more precious than intelligence.
A happy heart is better than a full purse.	Happiness is better than wealth.
A heavy purse gives to a light heart.	When you have money you feel more cheerful and secure.
A hedge between keeps friendship green.	It is important to respect the privacy of others.
A hungry belly has no ears.	A hungry person is totally concentrated on their need for food and nothing else interests them.
A hungry wolf is fixed to no place.	A desperate person will go from place to place when they need to satisfy their needs.