The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (199 page)

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There's no FOOL like an old fool
1546
Dialogue of Proverbs
II. ii. F4
V
But there is no foole to the olde foole, folke saie.
1721
Scottish Proverbs
256
No fool to an old Fool. Spoken when Men of advanc'd Age behave themselves, or talk youthfully, or wantonly.
1732
Gnomologia
no. 3570
No Fool like the old Fool.
1814
Waverley
III. xv.
And troth he might hae ta'en warning, but there's nae fule like an ould fule.
1910
Rewards & Fairies
257
‘There are those who have years without knowledge.’ ‘Right,’ said Puck. ‘No fool like an old fool.’
1984
Thin Woman
240
I tried to look after you, but it's true there is no fool like an old fool.
1995
Deadlocked
xiii. 147
There's no fool like an old fool, and I reckon you'll be joining him on the nut farm soon, Sidney.
old age
;
stupidity
A FOOL may give a wise man counsel
a
1350
Ywain & Gawain
(EETS) 1.1477
Bot yit a fole that litel kan [knows], May wele cownsail another man.
1641
Scottish Proverbs
(STS) no. 84
A Fool may give a wyse man a counsell.
1721
Scottish Proverbs
25
A Fool may give a wise Man counsel by a time. An Apology of those who offer their Advice to them, who may be supposed to excel them in Parts and Sense.
1818
Heart of Midlothian
IV. viii.
If a fule may gie a wise man a counsel, I wad hae him think twice or [before] he mells [meddles] wi' Knockdunder.
1942
Man who changed Plea
xvii.
Aren't we all fools .. in one or two things?.. Even a fool, though, can sometimes give good advice.
advice
;
fools
FOOL me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me
1980
Forbes
17 Mar. 69
The important thing in dealing with the Japanese is not to believe everything you hear. Or, as the saying goes: Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
1997
Washington Times
15 May A19
You know the saying ‘Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me’?..You might even need to add a third part to the saying, one that goes something like, ‘Fool me thirteen times, shame on everybody.’
deception

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