The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (275 page)
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Authors: John Andrew Simpson,
BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
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When you are in a HOLE, stop digging
1988Observer
in J. Care (ed.)
Sayings of the Eighties
It is a good thing to follow the first law of holes; if you are in one, stop digging.
1989
U.S.News & World Report
23 Jan. CVI. iii. 46
(headline)
When you're in a hole, stop digging.
1993
Houston Chronicle
9 Oct. 32
Until now, the president has ignored the first law of politics: When you get yourself in a hole, stop digging.
1997
Times
15 Sept. 1
William Hague seems to have forgotten the first rule of politics: when you are in a hole, stop digging.
prudence;
trouble
HOME is home, as the Devil said when he found himself in the Court of Session
The
Court of Session
is the supreme civil tribunal of Scotland, established in 1532.
1832
in
Scottish Proverbs
lxix.
Nothing more bitter was ever uttered .. against our Supreme Court of Judicature, than the saying .. Hame is hamely, quo' the Deil, when he fand himself in the Court of Session.
1915
Salute to Adventurers
iv.
I saw nothing now to draw me to .. law …‘Hame's hame,’ runs the proverb, ‘as the devil said when he found himself in the Court of Session,’ and I had lost any desire for that sinister company.
law and lawyers
Court of Session
is the supreme civil tribunal of Scotland, established in 1532.
1832in
Scottish Proverbs
lxix.
Nothing more bitter was ever uttered .. against our Supreme Court of Judicature, than the saying .. Hame is hamely, quo' the Deil, when he fand himself in the Court of Session.
1915
Salute to Adventurers
iv.
I saw nothing now to draw me to .. law …‘Hame's hame,’ runs the proverb, ‘as the devil said when he found himself in the Court of Session,’ and I had lost any desire for that sinister company.
law and lawyersHOME is home though it's never so homely
The archaic phrase
never
so means ‘ever so’.
1546
Dialogue of Proverbs
I. iv. B1
Home is homely, though it be poore in syght.
1569
–
70
Stationers' Register
(1875) I. 192
A ballett intituled home ys homelye be yt neuer so ill.
1670
English Proverbs
103
Home is home though it be never so homely.
1857
Little Dorrit
II. ix.
‘Just as Home is Home though it's never so Homely, why you see,’ said Mr. Meagles, adding a new version to the proverb, ‘Rome is Rome though it's never so Romely.’
1915
Dear Enemy
46
Hame is hame, be't ever sae hamely. Don't you marvel at the Scotch?
content and discontent
;
home
never
so means ‘ever so’.
1546Dialogue of Proverbs
I. iv. B1
Home is homely, though it be poore in syght.
1569
–
70
Stationers' Register
(1875) I. 192
A ballett intituled home ys homelye be yt neuer so ill.
1670
English Proverbs
103
Home is home though it be never so homely.
1857
Little Dorrit
II. ix.
‘Just as Home is Home though it's never so Homely, why you see,’ said Mr. Meagles, adding a new version to the proverb, ‘Rome is Rome though it's never so Romely.’
1915
Dear Enemy
46
Hame is hame, be't ever sae hamely. Don't you marvel at the Scotch?
content and discontent;
home
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