Proverbs, also known as sayings, can be the best way to convey your thoughts and observations. Every culture and every language has their own popular proverbs. Using proverbs in your conversations can be fun; you only need to be careful to use it at the right place and at the right time. Not knowing the meaning of proverbs and using it in the wrong contexts can become an issue. To help you with that, this article provides you with the most commonly used proverbs in English, its meaning and usage.
Table of Contents
Commonly Used Proverbs
| Proverb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Absence makes the heart grow fonder. | When you are away from someone or something, you understand their value and appreciate them more when you see them again. | I hated going to school every day, but now I miss school. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. |
| Actions speak louder than words. | Your actions, or what you do, convey much more than what you say. | He said he was happy with the job, but his behaviour clearly showed that he was lying about it. Actions speak louder than words, doesn’t it? |
| A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. | Nothing great is ever achieved without some effort. | If you want to crack the NEET exam, you need to start preparing. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. |
| All good things must come to an end. | Everything ends; even good times don’t last forever. | I wish this work-from-home continues forever. It’s too bad that all good things must come to an end. |
| A picture is worth a thousand words. | A picture/image can convey the whole story/message much better than one can with words. | The photo of the hungry beggars in front of the posh villa says it all. It touched my heart. A picture is worth a thousand words. |
| A watched pot never boils. | It is pointless to keep checking on something that takes time to complete. It is necessary to give it time to see the results. | I know how passionate he is about his dreams. Have patience, he is just starting his business. A watched pot never boils. |
| Beggars can’t be choosers. | If you’re in a tough situation and someone offers to help, you should accept whatever they offer and not demand for anything more. | I wish we had a bigger apartment; nothing else was within our budget. After all, beggars can’t be choosers. |
| Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. | Each person’s perspective of something or someone is different. What looks good for someone might not be so for someone else. | I really did not like her dress, but she loved it. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. |
| Better late than never. | It’s better to finish something late than fail to submit it at all. | Why are you driving so fast? It’s fine if you are late today. Better late than never. |
| Birds of a feather flock together. | People with similar characteristics or with similar minds stay together. | I think we got along so easily because we shared the same mindset. Birds of a feather do flock together. |
| Cleanliness is next to godliness. | It is good to stay clean and tidy. It is a divine quality. | Go clean your room, it is really messy. You know, right? Cleanliness is next to godliness. |
| Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. | Do not act against people who support you. | They bit the hand that fed them, so they were fired. |
| Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. | Don’t expect results before the process/course of action is complete. | We have not yet won the match. Wait for the results. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. |
| Don’t judge a book by its cover. | Don’t judge someone or something by their appearance. | She might look like a shy and innocent girl, but she is really smart and cunning. Never judge a book by its cover. |
| Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. | Don’t throw all your hopes and resources into achieving a single goal or desire. | I know you really want to run your own restaurant, but don’t you think you are spending a lot here? Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. |
| Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. | Do something today if and have you have the opportunity and the means to do it. Don’t procrastinate. | You have two days’ time to submit the paper. You can free now, why don’t you work on it? Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. |
| Don’t put too many irons in the fire. | Try to focus on one thing at a time, do not distract yourself by focusing on too many things. | I know you have a lot of responsibilities and that a lot is going on in your life, but I would advise you not to put too many irons in the fire. |
| Easy come easy go. | Whatever comes easily goes away easily. | I did not understand the logic behind ‘easy come, easy go’ until I lost all the money I won from the lottery. |
| Fortune favours the bold. | People who are courageous to take risks are more successful than those who always do things carefully. | It is risky, but give it a try; you might win. Fortune favours the bold. |
| God helps those who help themselves. | Don’t just sit around and hope for the best. Make an effort to make them a reality. | Don’t expect miracles to happen without putting in any effort. God helps only those who help themselves. |
| Good things come to those who wait. | Good things will happen if you wait patiently. | She has been working hard continuously for years now without any complaints. Good things do come to those who wait; she was made manager last week. |
| Honesty is the best policy. | It is always preferable to speak the truth rather than lie. | If you want to be successful in life, do all that you do honestly. Honesty is the best policy. |
| Hope for the best; prepare for the worst. | Be hopeful for a good outcome, but be prepared for the worst-case scenario. | Your competition is next week. I know you can win. Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. |
| If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. | Don’t try to change or repair something that is already working properly. | Why are you servicing your bike now? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. |
| If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. | If you can’t get someone to change their behaviour or opinion, it’s sometimes preferable or easier to do what they want if it does not hurt anyone else. | I asked him to practise the song with me, but he wanted to listen to a few other songs first. If you can’t beat ’em, rather join ’em, right? |
| If you play with fire, you’ll get burned. | You will almost certainly suffer unfavourable effects if you get involved in something beyond a certain point or something harmful. | If you play with fire, you’ll get burned. Don’t irritate the dog so much and get bitten. |
| If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. | Don’t rely on others to complete a task; complete it yourself. | My mom always goes with the saying, ‘If you want something to be done right, do it yourself’. |
| Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. | If you have an enemy, treat them like a friend too, so you will be prepared to face whatever comes your way. | She always keeps her friends close and her enemies closer; that is the secret to her success. |
| Knowledge is power. | The more you know, the more intellectually powerful you will be in life. | Knowledge is power; I realise that now. |
| Laughter is the best medicine. | There is no situation that cannot be rectified or made better with a good laugh. | I always watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S when I feel low. After all, laughter is the best medicine. |
| Like father, like son.
Like mother, like daughter. |
Said when a son is similar to his father; or when a daughter behaves exactly like the mother. | His father is a maths teacher and he is very good at maths. Like father, like son. |
| No man is an island. | Nobody can fully live on their own. To be successful, we require interpersonal interaction. | How long can you stay without your family and friends? No man is an island. |
| People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. | Don’t pass judgement on others if you aren’t perfect yourself. | Don’t comment on her addiction to mobile phones. You still haven’t given up on smoking. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. |
| Practice makes perfect. | The more you practice, the better you perform. | Don’t give up on maths and physics. Practice makes perfect. |
| The early bird gets the worm. | The one that gets somewhere early or the one who is first to do something reaps the reward. | I joined the line early in the morning, and I got a ticket for the front row. The early bird gets the worm. |
| The grass is always greener on the other side. | People always wish to have what they don’t have. | People are never satisfied with what they have. For them, the grass is always greener on the other side. |
| The pen is mightier than the sword. | Words and ideas are more powerful than physical force when trying to persuade someone of something. | Let’s not fight anymore. The pen is mightier than the sword. Let us write about it and let it reach more people. |
| There is no place like home. | The most comfortable place in the world is your home, as you are comfortable and happy in your own space. | I always wanted a vacation, but now I feel like going home. There’s obviously no place like home. |
| There is no such thing as a free lunch. | Nothing comes for free. Even free items have a price tag attached to them. | His friend gave him a chocolate., but, in return, he asked him to share all his notes with him. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. |
| There is no time like the present. | There is no better time than the present to do whatever you intend to do. | Just don’t let your pending work pile up. Finish everything on time. There is no time like the present. |
| The squeaky wheel gets the grease. | An individual who is not hesitant to open up about a problem they are facing is more likely to get things sorted. | She proved that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. |
| Two heads are better than one. | Work becomes easier when done together in a group rather than alone. | I can’t find the solution to this. Can you please help me with the sum? I believe two heads are better than one. |
| Two wrongs don’t make a right. | Don’t try to take revenge on the one who has hurt you. It won’t make things better. | I know he has been hurting you and making fun of you, but do you really want to take revenge on him? Come on, just forget it, two wrongs don’t make a right. |
| When in Rome, do as the Romans do. | Adapt to every scenario. | You never liked sausages, but you ate a lot on vacation. I think it is because you adapt well. “Yeah, When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” |
| When the going gets tough, the tough get going. | When things get tough, strong people don’t give up; they work even harder. | Priya’s perseverance shows that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. |
| You can lead a horse to the water, but you can’t make him drink it. | You can advise someone or show them how to do something, but you can’t force them to accept or mak them do it. | I suggested to him not to go ahead with this project, but he still did it. Now, he regrets it. I guess you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink it. |
| You can’t always get what you want. | You will not always get whatever you want. So, don’t complain. | I wanted to buy a new phone, and I had saved some money for it. Today, I had to use the money to pay my brother’s fee. You can’t always get what you want, right? |
Frequently Asked Questions on Common Proverbs
Q1
How can I make someone understand the value of time?
To make someone understand the value of time, you can use the proverb, “time is money”. You can use this proverb in various situations and make them understand the value of time.
Q2
How can I use the proverbs?
Proverbs can be used in our daily conversations and also in writing to draw the attention of people. Only make sure to understand its meaning and use it right.
