PROVERBS A lender nor borrower be. A leopard cannot change its spots. A lie begets a lie.

A little fire is quickly trodden out. A little of what you fancy does you good. A loaded wagon makes no noise. Do not lend or borrow money. It is impossible for a bad or unpleasant person to become good or pleasant. Telling one lie will lead you to tell another one. If you deal with a minor problem quickly, it will not become a major issue. It's ok to give into a little temptation occasionally. Really wealthy people do not talk about money.

A loveless life is living death. Without affection, life is difficult. A man can die but once. A man is as old as he feels himself to be. A man is judged by his deeds, not by his words. A man is known by the company he keeps. A monkey in silk is a monkey no less. A new broom sweeps clean (but the old brush knows all the corners...) A nod is as good as a wink (to a blind horse/man). A picture paints a thousand words. A problem shared is a problem halved. (Also : A worry shared is a worry halved.) A rising tide lifts all boats. A rolling stone gathers no moss If death comes now, you will not have to experience it later. Your age doesn't matter as long as you are fit and healthy. A person is judged on what he/she actually does, not on what they say they will do. A person's character is judged by the type of people with whom they spend their time. No matter how someone dresses, it's the same person underneath. A newly-appointed person often makes changes quickly .

A hint or a subtle signal is enough to convey meaning to someone who is ready to understand. A picture is better than a long description. It is easier to deal with a problem when you discuss it with someone.

Refers to something that will be helpful to all. If a person keeps moving from place to place, they gain neither friends nor possessions. Another interpretation is that, by moving often, one avoids being tied down! A dishonest or immoral person can have a bad influence

A rotten apple spoils the

barrel. A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner. A soft answer turneth away wrath. A stitch in time saves nine. A stumble may prevent a fall.

on a group. Overcoming adversity leads to competence. If your reply is polite and tactful you will avoid anger. If you deal with a problem at an early stage you will save time and prevent it from getting worse. Correcting a small mistake may help you to avoid making a bigger one.

A swallow does not make the One good event does not mean that everything is alright. summer. A tidy house holds a bored woman A watched pot never boils. A wise head keeps a still tongue If a house is always tidy, the owner (woman) has nothing but housework to occupy her time. If you wait anxiously for something to happen, it seems to take a long time. An intelligent person knows when to stay silent.

A wonder lasts but nine days The effects of an amazing or stirring event last only nine days; after that, life goes on as before. A young idler, an old beggar. Absence makes the heart grow fonder If you don't work, you won't have any money when you're old. When you are away from someone you love, you love them even more.

IDIOMS far-fetched: difficult to accept; difficult to believe. "That story's pretty far-fetched. Nobody's going to believe it."

feel blue: feel sad and depressed. "I'm feeling blue because I haven't had any mail except bills for a long, long time."

fire someone: dismiss someone from a job because of poor performance. "If you continue to be late for work, the company will fire you."

feel puny: feel unwell, ill. "Ted was feeling puny yesterday, so he decided not to go to work."

fender-bender: automobile accident. "Traffic was really slow on the freeway this morning because of a fender-bender in one of the westbound lanes."

for ages: for a very long time. "Where's Marie? I haven't seen her for ages." jump all over someone: severely criticize / find fault with someone. A: "What's wrong with Joe?" B: "He's feeling bad because his boss jumped all over him this morning."

jump the gun: do something before it's time to do it. A: "How did Marsha know about the party? It was supposed to be a surprise." B: "Chuck jumped the gun. Without thinking, he said, 'I'm bringing the cake at your party; I hope you like it!"

jump to conclusions: decide something too quickly and without thinking about it or considering all the facts. A: "Angela just doesn't like me. She won't even say hello." B: "You're jumping to conclusions. Actually, she's very shy."

junk mail: unsolicited mail (usually advertisements for something you're not interested in). "I didn't have any letters today--only junk mail."

lend someone a hand: help someone. "I can't do this alone. Can you lend me a hand?"

leave well enough alone: do nothing (because doing something would make things worse). "Don't tell Jim how to discipline his children. Leave well enough alone."

a let-down: a disappointment; something that's very disappointing. "It must've been quite a let-down not to be chosen for that job. I know you really hoped you would get it."

Let sleeping dogs lie.: Don't cause problems by doing something when it isn't necessary. "I know that what Julie said made you angry, but let sleeping dogs lie. If you say or do anything, you'll only make things worse."

SIMILES simile as alike as two peas in a pod as bald as a coot as big as a bus as big as an elephant as black as a sweep as black as coal as black as pitch as blind as a bat as blind as a mole as bold as brass as brave as a lion as bright as a button as bright as a new pin as busy as a beaver as busy as a bee as busy as a cat on a hot tin roof as calm as a millpond as clear as a bell as clean as a whistle as clear as crystal as clear as mud as cold as ice as common as dirt as cool as a cucumber as cunning as a fox as dead as a doornail as dead as the dodo as deaf as a post as different as chalk from cheese as drunk as a lord as dry as a bone as dry as dust as dull as dishwater as easy as A.B.C. as easy as apple-pie meaning identical or nearly so completely bald very big very big completely black completely black completely black completely blind completely blind very bold very brave very bright very bright and shiny very busy very busy very busy very calm and still very clear very clean very clear not at all clear very cold very common, rude, vulgar cool cunning dead dead, extinct completely deaf very different completely drunk very dry very dry dull, boring very easy very easy usually said of water of a sound comment

sweep = chimney sweep

may be exaggeration may be exaggeration usually in a negative sense

irony/sarcasm usually said of a person

the dodo is an extinct bird may be exaggeration

usually said of a person

as flat as a pancake as free as a bird as fresh as a daisy as gentle as a lamb as good as gold as happy as a lark as hard as nails as hot as hell as hungry as a bear as hungry as a wolf as innocent as a lamb as large as life as light as a feather as light as air as mad as a hatter as mad as a hornet as nutty as a fruitcake as obstinate as a mule as old as the hills as pale as death as plain as day as poor as a church mouse as white as a ghost as white as a sheet as white as snow as wise as Solomon as wise as an owl

completely flat very free to go anywhere very fresh very gentle very good and obedient very happy very tough in character very hot very hungry very hungry innocent, not worldly-wise conspicuously present very light very light completely crazy very angry completely crazy very obstinate, stubborn very, very old very pale or white in the face very clear poverty-stricken very pale or white in the face pure white pure white very wise Solomon very wise

usually said of a person usually said of a person usually said of a person of a person

usually said of a person

of a person

of a person

King

METAPHORS

Broken heart - Your heart is not literally broken into pieces; you just feel hurt and sad. The light of my life - The person described by this metaphor isn't really providing physical light. He or she is just someone who brings happiness or joy. It's raining men - Men do not literally pour from the sky; there are simply an abundance of male suitors around at the time. Time is a thief - Time isn't really stealing anything, this metaphor just indicates that time passes quickly and our lives pass us by. He is the apple of my eye - There is, of course, no real apple in a person's eye. The "apple" is someone beloved and held dear. Bubbly personality - A bubbly personality doesn't mean a person is bubbling over with anything, just that the person is cheerful. Feel blue - No one actually ever feels like the color blue, although many people say they are "feeling blue" to mean they are feeling sad. Fade off to sleep - You don't actually fade, you simply go to sleep. Inflamed your temper - The news inflamed your temper is not a situation where there is any actual fire or flames, it is just a situation where someone gets mad. Reeks of infidelty - When said about a cheating partner, this doesn't actually mean that there is a literal smell. Instead, it is just apparent that the person is cheating. Rollercoaster of emotions - A rollercoaster of emotions doesn't exist anywhere, so when people are on a rollercoaster of emotions, they are simply experiencing lots of ups and downs. Stench of failure - The stench of failure is strong, according to the common metaphor, but of course failing doesn't really smell.