Section: «Proverbs»
A proverb (from Latin: proverbium) or an adage is a simple, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and are an example of formulaic language. A proverbial phrase or a proverbial expression is a type of a conventional saying similar to proverbs and transmitted by oral tradition. The difference is that a proverb is a fixed expression, while a proverbial phrase permits alterations to fit the grammar of the context. Collectively, they form a genre of folklore.
To love somebody (something) as the devil loves holy water
To look for a needle in a haystack
To lock the stable-door after the horse is stolen
To live from hand to mouth
To lay by for a rainy day
To know on which side one's bread is buttered
To know everything is to know nothing
To kill two birds with one stone
To kick against the pricks
To hit the nail on the head
To have rats in the attic
To have a finger in the pie
To go through fire and water (through thick and thin)
To go for wool and come home shorn
To get out of bed on the wrong side
To fish in troubled waters
To fight with one's own shadow
To fiddle while Rome is burning
To eat the calf in the cow's belly
To drop a bucket into an empty well
