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Proverbs
A proverb is a short fluent saying that is used to express a specific situation based on the cumulative experience of the nations. Ask about famous proverbs, their meanings and origins here.
893 Questions
If knowledge is half the battle what's the other half?
Application of that knowledge to the battle! Any battle, military or intellectual, begins with acknowledgment that a battle exists; hence the knowledge part. Application shows that one understands the battle and can apply the knowledge to win said battle. Napoleon knew the principle very well.
What is the basis for the proverb 'Flowers smell best just before a rain'?
That moist air is more amenable to transmitting scents is the basis for the proverb "Flowers smell best just before a rain."
Specifically, moist air is a harbinger of coming rainfall. Atmospheric and terrestrial moisture enhances the strength of an odor. That is why flowers release fragrances just before rain, and earthwormy smells pervade grounds and sidewalks.
What does Looking at a king's mouth one would never think he sucked his mother's breast mean?
whether rich, ugly, poor, or pretty, we are all human in the end.
What is the proverb Time flies like an arrow mean?
That saying means that time elapses so fast it is like an arrow which flies through the air at a fast rate of speed. But, I believe that saying has a second part to it which is "fruit flies like a banana." It is supposed to be a play on words, because flies in the first part is a verb and flies in the second part is a noun.
What is the meaning of the proverb a house is not a home?
. . . that a family can be happy in a cardboard box, as long as they are together. Your home is wherever you are together.
孟子：以若所为，求若所欲，犹缘木而求鱼也。
Why should our proverbs be preserved?
Proverbs are wise sayings, many from far back in history. They should be preserved in order to keep the wisdom in them.
What does the proverb Look after the pennies and and the pounds will look after themselves mean?
Look after the details, whether monetary or otherwise, and the larger issues will also be taken care of.
I.e., make sure you brush your teeth after breakfast every day (little thing) and your teeth (big thing) will be fine.
The term comes from British coins which are denominated in pennies and pounds (= 100 pennies). The expression could be expressed in American terms as "If you're careful about pennies, you'll end up with a lot of dollars", but of course the meaning is much broader as noted.
What is the proverb meaning of Anything for a quiet life?
we can have a peacefull life, if we don't find trouble with others
A scribe whose hand moves as fast as the mouth that's a scribe for you?
This is an Sumerian proverb. It means a good scribe is one who can write quickly and keep up with what is being said.
What does this mean One can have no greater mastery then mastery of ones self?
Very few people, if any, have total self control. Most people at some time "loose it" and their temper takes control of them.
This proverb is saying if you can master/control yourself then you have achieved something
Why should you preserve proverbs?
One reason is because of the way that proverbs store wisdom in a brief, easy-to-remember format.
How do you say the Czech proverb 'learn a new language and get a new soul' in Czech?
learn a new language and get a new soul = co novy jazyk, to novy clovek.
What does the proverb mean - 'great talkers are little doers'?
The saying that "great talkers are little does" is a charge that someone is talking big but not accomplishing anything.
What is the meaning of the proverb He who is afraid of the leaves must not go into the forest?
This isn't actually a proverb; it is a quote from Leo Tolstoy's short story, The Two Brothers.
In the context of the story, two brothers come across a stone that tells them that they must steal the cubs from a she-bear and run up a mountain to find happiness. The younger brother wants to do what the stone says, but the older brother desists, telling him that "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
The younger brother replies:
I have heard: "He who is afraid of the leaves must not go into the forest."
In short, he belittles the older brother's caution. This quote is believed by many to mean "If you are afraid of the little things in life, you are likely to miss the big picture, or the big catch."
Some misinterpret it as "You need to overcome your fears by facing them", but the context suggests otherwise.
Nothing is as easy as it looks. Everything takes longer than you think. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. Corollary: If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen then. If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway. If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop. Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. Nature always sides with the hidden flaw. Mother nature is a bitch. It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first. Every solution breeds new problems.after aerospace engineer Edward Murphy.
