A cherry year, a merry year; a plum year, a dumb year
Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs:
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A cherry year, a merry year; a plum year, a dumb year
A cherry year a merry year: A plum year a dumb year. This is a puerile and senceless rythme‥as far as I can see.
[1678 J. Ray English Proverbs (ed. 2) 52]
The progress of the seasons may be watched by observing the punctuality of the vegetable world. ‥A cherry year, a merry year. A plum year, a dumb year.
[1869 R. Inwards Weather Lore 14]
Warboys was studying an arrangement of cherry blossom. ‥The blossom was good this year. A cherry year, a merry year.
[1979 V. Canning Satan Sampler ix.]
Related to: garden lore
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Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs. Copyright © 1982, 1992, 1998, 2003, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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