100 English Proverbs

Actions speak louder than words.	What a person actually does is more important that what they say they will do. People show what they are really like by what they do, rather than by what   they say.
All that glitters is not gold.	Appearances can be deceptive.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.	It is not good to work all the time. Everybody needs a certain amount of relaxation.  It is not good to work all   the time.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.	Eating an apple every day can help to keep you healthy.   Other interpretation : A small preventive treatment wards off serious problems.
An Englishman's home is his castle.	An Englishman's home is a place where he feels safe,  enjoys privacy   and can do as he wishes.
A bad workman blames his tools.	Blaming the tools for bad workmanship is an excuse for lack of skill.
A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.	It's better to keep what you have than to risk losing it by searching for something better.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.	The strength of a group depends on each individual member.
A fool and his money are soon (easily) parted.	A foolish person usually spends money carelessly.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.	Someone who helps you when you are in trouble.
A good beginning makes a good end.	If a task is carefully planned, there's a better chance that it will be done well.
A good conscience is a soft pillow.	You sleep well when you have nothing to feel guilty about.
All days are short to Industry and long to Idleness.	Time goes by slowly when you have nothing to do.
A leopard cannot change its spots.	It is not possible for a bad or unpleasant person to become good or pleasant.
A man is known by the company he keeps.	A person's character is judged by the type of people with whom they spend   their time.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.	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 smooth sea never made a skilled mariner.	Overcoming adversity leads to competence.
A stitch in time saves nine.	It's better to deal with a  problem at an early stage, to prevent it from getting   worse.
A stumble may prevent a fall.	Correcting a small mistake may help you to avoid making a bigger one.
A swallow does not make the summer.	One good event does not mean that everything is alright.
An idle brain is the devil's workshop.	When you work you avoid temptation.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.	It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or   cure the disease later.
Bad news travels fast.	People tend to circulate bad news (accidents, illness etc.) very quickly.
Beauty is only skin deep.	A person's character is more important than their appearance.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.	Different people have different tastes.
Be swift to hear, slow to speak.	Listen carefully before speaking.
Better be alone than in bad company.	Be careful in the choice of the people you associate with.
Better flatter a fool than fight him.	It's better to avoid disputes with stupid people.
Better late than never.	It's better to do something, even if it's late, than not do it at all.
Birds of a feather flock together.	People of the same sort are usually found together.
Blood is thicker than water	Family relationships are stronger than relationships with other people.
Charity begins at home.	A person's first duty is to help and care for his own family.
Clothes don't make the man.	Appearances can be deceiving.
Constant occupation prevents temptation.	When you work you avoid temptation.
Dogs of the same street bark alike.	People from the same background have the same behaviour.
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.	You must not be too confident that something will be successful.
Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork.	Don't do something yourself which causes your own downfall.
Don't judge a book by its cover.	Don't judge by appearances.
Experience is the father of wisdom.	Experience and knowledge result in better judgement.
Failure teaches success.	Learning from one's mistakes and failures is essential to achieving success in the future.
Familiarity breeds contempt	Knowing somebody very well may lead to a lack of respect for them.
Fool me once, shame on you;  fool me twice, shame on me.	One should learn from one's mistakes.
Half a loaf is better than none.	You should be grateful for something, even if it's not as much as you wanted.
He who plays with fire gets burnt.	If you behave in a risky way, you are likely to have problems.
He laughs best who laughs last.	Don't express your joy, or your triumph, too soon!
Home is where the heart is.	You call home the place where the people you love are.
Honey catches more flies than vinegar.	You can obtain more cooperation from others by being nice.
If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either  one.	If you try to do two things at the same time, you won't succeed in doing either of them.
If you want a friend, be a friend.	To have a friend, you must first be a friend.
In for a penny, in for a pound.	If you start something, it's better to spend the time or money necessary to complete it.
It never rains but it pours.	Misfortunes usually come in large numbers.
It's no use crying over spilt milk.	Don't express regret for something that has happened and cannot be remedied.
Kill the goose that lays the golden egg.	Destroy something that would be a source of wealth or success.
Kindness begets kindness.	If you are kind to people, they will be kind to you.
You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.	You help me and I'll help you.
Learn to walk before you run.	Don't rush into doing something until you know how to do it.
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner  everywhere.	Education is something you keep forever.
Like father, like son.	A son's character can be expected to resemble his father's. This idiom is used when different generations of a family behave in the same way or have the same talents of defects.
Look before you leap.	Consider possible consequences before taking action.
Man is the head of the family;  woman is the neck that turns the head.	While the man is traditionally seen as the leader of the family, the woman has the power to influence and guide his decisions
Many hands make light work.	Sharing work makes work easier.
Men make houses, women make homes.	While men may build the physical structure of a house, it is women who create the emotional and social environment that makes it a home.
Money is the root of all evil.	The love of money can lead to immoral behavior
Necessity is the mother of invention.	The need for something forces people to find a way of obtaining it.
Never put off till tomorrow what can be done today	Don't postpone something you can do now.
No man is an island.	We all need other people.
No news is good news.	If the news was bad, we would hear of it.  Since we have heard nothing,   we can assume that all is  well.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.	You cannot expect to achieve anything if you don't take risks.
Once bitten, twice shy.	After an unpleasant experience, people are careful to avoid something similar.
One good turn deserves another.	You should be helpful to someone who helps you.
One today is worth two tomorrow.	What you have today is better than what is promised or hoped for.
One man's meat is another man's poison	People don't always like the same things.
Only real friends will tell you when your face is  dirty.	Only a real friend will tell you the truth.
Opportunity seldom knocks twice.	Don't miss opportunities that come along.
Out of sight, out of mind.	We tend to forget people who are absent.
People who live in glass houses should not throw  stones.	One should not criticize others for faults similar to one's own.
Practice makes perfect.	Doing something repeatedly is the only way to become good at it.
Prevention is better than cure	It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or cure the   disease later.
Put all your eggs in one basket	Risk everything by relying on one plan (by putting all one's money in one business).
Rome was not built in a day.	It takes a long time to do a job properly.  You should not expect to do it quickly.
Spare the rod and spoil the child	If you don't punish a child when he does wrong, you will spoil his character.
Still waters run deep.	A quiet person can have much knowledge or wisdom.
Stolen fruit is the sweetest.	What is forbidden is the most tempting.
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.	Children resemble their parents.
The best advice is found on the pillow.	After a good night's sleep we may find an answer to our problem.
The devil looks after his own.	Success comes to those who deserve it least  .
The devil makes work for idle hands	People who have no work, or are idle, often get into or make trouble.
The die is cast.	A decision has been made and it's impossible to change it.
The early bird catches the worm.	If you want to do something successfully, you should do it as soon as you can.
The more haste, the less speed.	A person makes more progress if they do things less quickly.
The pen is mightier than the sword	Words and communication have greater effect than war and fighting.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.	The real value of something can be judged only after it has been tried or tested.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.	It's not enough to intend to do something, you must actually do it.
The tongue wounds more than a lance.	Insults can be more hurtful than physical injuries.
There is no fool like an old fool.	A older person is expected to behave more sensibly.
Time and tide wait for no man.	No one can delay the passing of time.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.	If too many people are involved in something, it will not be done properly.
Two wrongs don't make a right	It is wrong to harm someone because they have harmed you.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.	You should adopt the customs of the people or country you are visiting,   and behave in the same way.
Where there's a will, there's a way.	A person with determination will find a way of doing something.