Most Useful English Proverbs (2)

 26. You made your bed, now you have to lie in it.

No one likes sleeping in a poorly made bed. If you make your bed with the sheets all tangled and blankets facing the wrong way, you can’t switch with someone else. You have to sleep in that bed. This proverb uses bed-making to describe any bad situation in which you may find yourself. You can’t trade places with anyone else. You must live with the results of your actions, so make good choices.

27. Actions speak louder than words.

The Greek philosopher Plato once said that action is character. People are not defined by what they say because a lot of talk does not mean anything. People are judged by the things they do. Your actions are more important than what you say.

28. It takes two to tango.

This proverb is often said during a fight in which one person is putting all of the blame on the other person, when both people were actually responsible. Just as one person can’t tango (a Spanish dance with two people) alone, two people are responsible for some situations, so you can’t just blame one person.

29. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

This proverb warns against being too eager. Just because you have five eggs, does not mean you will have five chickens. It is not a good idea to make plans based on expectations (what you think will happen). Wait for all things to come true before building up your dreams. Or worse, your promises. Things may not happen like you thought they would and that could get you in trouble.

30. It’s no use crying over spilled milk.

Milk is easy to get. You may get in trouble for spilling the milk, you shouldn’t cry because it isn’t a big deal. Also, crying won’t solve anything. This proverb advises you to stay calm during such small problems. Don’t waste time worrying about little things that cannot be changed. Clean up the mess and go buy some more milk.

31. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Be careful! If you put all your goods in one bag or all your money in one stock, you are taking a big risk. It is smarter to spread your wealth around. That way if one basket should break, you’re not left with nothing.

32. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

“People in glass houses” means anyone who is sensitive about their failures. People like this should not insult others (should not “throw stones”) because most likely the other person will turn around and insult you back. And like glass, which is easy to break, your self-esteem (what you think of yourself) will easily break into pieces.

33. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

Only a stone that is in the same place for a long time will have moss growing on it. A stone on the move will remain bare. The same is true with people. If you remain in one place for a long time, the signs of life—friends, family, objects and your local reputation (what people think of you)—will grow on you. But not if you always move from place to place.

34. First things first.

This proverb advises you to do things in the right order. Do not skip over the more difficult or less enjoyable tasks in order to get to the easier, more fun ones. For example, if you have an exam to study for the same night your friend is having a party, study for the exam first. The party would be more fun, but the exam is more important so it should be done first.

35. Still waters run deep.

“Still waters run deep” describes people who are quiet and calm. These people often have “deep,” interesting personalities. So even if someone doesn’t talk a lot, they could still be very thoughtful. The proverb uses water to describe people. When the surface of a body of water is rough and fast, it usually means that it is shallow (not deep) and has rocks close to the surface, like in a river or stream. But water that is calm and still is often very deep, like in a lake.

36. If it ain’t* broke, don’t fix it.

This phrase is used when someone is trying to change or “improve” a way of doing something that works perfectly well. Why change something that works? You could ruin everything! This proverb goes nicely with the proverb “leave well enough alone.”
*Note: “Ain’t” is not correct English. It’s an informal way of saying “isn’t” or “is not.” This style of speaking is popular in the Southern states of the United States and in farming regions.

37. Curiosity killed the cat.

This proverb is often used to stop someone from asking too many questions. Curiosity (when you’re excited and eager to know something) can lead you into dangerous situations. Cats, who are naturally curious, often end up in trouble. They get stuck up in trees or between walls.

38. Learn to walk before you run.

Do things in the right order, from simple to more complicated. For example, do not try to read a difficult English novel when you’re just starting to learn English. If you try to jump ahead, you will most likely fail—just like a child who tries to run before learning to walk will fall. All things will come in time, but you must be patient and go through the proper process.

39. Money doesn’t grow on trees.

Things that grow on trees, such as fruit or leaves, are considered plentiful (enough, plenty) because they will grow back. If you eat an apple from a tree, more apples will continue to grow. But money must be earned through hard work, and doesn’t “grow back” after you spend it. Once you spend money, it’s gone. This proverb is often said to people who waste their money on silly purchases.

40. My hands are tied.

This phrase should not be taken literally. You say this proverb when you can’t do what you would like to do. For example, say you are in charge of an office and everyone (including you) wants to celebrate someone’s birthday. But your boss tells you it’s against the rules. You could tell your coworkers, “Sorry, my hands are tied.” You would like to have a birthday celebration with them, but you can’t.

41. It’s the tip of the iceberg.

Only a small amount of an iceberg can be seen above the surface of the water. Most of it lies below. This proverb uses the iceberg to describe a situation where you are only beginning to understand the problem. The little signs that you can see are in fact part of a much larger problem.

42. No news is good news.

No information about a situation suggests that nothing bad has happened. This phrase is said by families waiting nervously for news of a father or son who has gone to war. To receive news would mean hearing that your loved one has been killed, captured or hurt.  Even though it’s difficult to know nothing about what’s happening, it’s still better than hearing bad news.

43. Out of sight, out of mind.

If you can see something every day, your mind will think about it. This proverb is about the habit of forgetting things that are not nearby. For example, if you want to stop eating chips and junk food, you could move them from the counter top and hide them in a cupboard. If you don’t see them, you won’t think to eat them. Out of sight, out of mind.

44. If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

This proverb simply means that if you help me, I’ll help you too. Usually, when you do a favor for someone, they do something for you in return. This can be beneficial (helpful) to both people.

45. Ignorance is bliss.

“Ignorance” is when you don’t know or are unaware of something. “Bliss” is pure joy and happiness. So sometimes it feels better and you’re more comfortable when you don’t know about certain things. For example, if I tell you this fact—that from 2000-2012, 2.3 million square kilometers of forests were cut down around the world (which is size of all the states east of the Mississippi River)—you could feel sad and hopeless for the environment. But if I hadn’t told you that fact, you would feel happier.

46. Easy come, easy go.

Money, fame, love or anything that happens easily can be lost just as quickly. If you get a lot of money or suddenly become famous, you could lose that money or fame very quickly—since you didn’t work hard to earn it.

47. The forbidden fruit is always the sweetest.

“Forbidden” means it’s not allowed, so this phrase means that if something isn’t allowed, you often want it the most (it will “taste” the sweetest). For example, let’s say you’re a kid whose parents don’t let you drink soda. You go to a friend’s house, and her parents ask if you want a soda. You say yes and really enjoy that soda because you never get to drink it at home.

48. Every cloud has a silver lining.

People say this when things are going badly or when someone is sad. Clouds stand for bad situations. Every bad situation has some good parts to it—you just have to look for them. The proverb is meant to help people feel better and keep going. It’s also where the name of the movie “Silver Linings Playbook” came from.

49. You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

Sometimes, to get things done, you have to be pushy or break a few rules. You may even have to insult some people. An omelet is a tasty dish and worth the effort to make. However, you must break some eggs to make it. So if you want to get a worthwhile project done or make changes, you can’t please everyone. Someone might be offended or hurt, so you have to decide if the price is worth it.

50. Close but no cigar.

In the old days, fairgrounds would give cigars as prizes for games. The phrase “close but no cigar” means that you were close to succeeding in the game, but you didn’t win the cigar. As a proverb it means that even though you did your best or almost had it right, you weren’t completely correct.

Source: www.fluentu.com