The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (145 page)
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EAGLES don't catch flies
Great or important people do not concern themselves with trifling matters or insignificant people. Cf. ERASMUS
Adages
III. ii.
aquila non captat muscas
, the eagle does not catch flies.
1563
Mirror for Magistrates
(1938) 405
The iolly Egles catche not little flees.
1581
tr.
S. Guazzo's Civil Conversation
II. 48
V
That is the right act of a Prince, and therefore it is well saide, That the Egle catcheth not flies.
1786
Anecdotes of Johnson
185
With regard to slight insults. ‘They sting one (says he) but as a fly stings a horse; and the eagle will not catch flies.’
1942
Nobody's Vineyard
i.
‘Eagles don't catch flies.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Inspectors of Police don't trail urchins.’
1980
Birds of Air
(1987) 92
‘
Aquila non captat muscas
,’ she told him in a reassuring whisper. ‘Eagles don't catch flies.’
great and small
Adages
III. ii.
aquila non captat muscas
, the eagle does not catch flies.
1563Mirror for Magistrates
(1938) 405
The iolly Egles catche not little flees.
1581
tr.
S. Guazzo's Civil Conversation
II. 48
V
That is the right act of a Prince, and therefore it is well saide, That the Egle catcheth not flies.
1786
Anecdotes of Johnson
185
With regard to slight insults. ‘They sting one (says he) but as a fly stings a horse; and the eagle will not catch flies.’
1942
Nobody's Vineyard
i.
‘Eagles don't catch flies.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Inspectors of Police don't trail urchins.’
1980
Birds of Air
(1987) 92
‘
Aquila non captat muscas
,’ she told him in a reassuring whisper. ‘Eagles don't catch flies.’
great and small
ear
The EARLY bird catches the worm
1636Remains concerning Britain
(ed. 5) 307
The early bird catcheth the worme.
1859
Geoffrey Hamlyn
II. xiv.
Having worked .. all the week .. a man comes into your room at half-past seven .. and informs you that the ‘early bird gets the worm.’
1892
Big Bow Mystery
i.
Grodman was not an early bird, now that he had no worms to catch. He could afford to despise proverbs now.
1935
‘’
Question of Proof
xii.
You're very skittish this morning, superintendent. I shall always know now what the early bird looks like when it has caught the worm.
1979
Black Jack
vii.
The early bird catches the worm, Dr. Ellis. We have been looking for you for a long time.
1996
Return to House of Usher
ix. 167
‘I got home at midnight last night and I'm here at seven. Where are they?.. Well, it's the early bird that catches the worm, and no mistake.’
diligence;
efficiency and inefficiency
The EARLY man never borrows from the late man
1659Proverbs
(English) 17
The rath [early] sower never borroweth of the late.
1732
Gnomologia
no. 4492
The early Sower never borrows of the Late.
1978
Calendar of Country Customs
iii.
Oats, too, benefit from early sowing .. Another agricultural proverb .. declares that, ‘the early man never borrows from the late man.’
borrowing and lendingOther books
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