The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (280 page)
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If it were not for HOPE, the heart would break
a1250
Ancrene Wisse
(1962) 43
Ase me seith, yef hope nere heorte to breke [as one says, if there were not hope, the heart would break].
c
1440
Gesta Romanorum
(EETS) 228
Yf hope wer not, hert schulde breke.
1616
Dict.
(rev. ed.) 582
If it were not for hope, the heart would breake.
1748
Clarissa
VI. xxix.
No harm in hoping, Jack! My uncle says, Were it not for hope, the heart would break.
1911
Use of Life
(rev. ed.) xv.
There is an old proverb that if it were not for Hope the heart would break. Everything may be retrieved except despair.
hope and despair
hope
You can take a HORSE to the water, but you can't make him drink
The word
the
is frequently omitted from the proverb and
lead
substituted for
take
.
c
1175
Old English Homilies
(EETS) 1st Ser. 9
Hwa is thet mei thet hors wettrien the him self nule drinken [who can give water to the horse that will not drink of its own accord]?
1546
Dialogue of Proverbs
I. xi. D3
A man may well bryng a horse to the water, But he can not make hym drynke without he will.
1658
Mysteries of Love & Eloquence
160
A man may lead his Horse to water, but he cannot make him drink unless he list.
1857
Barchester Towers
III. i.
‘Well,’ said she ..‘one man can take a horse to water but a thousand can't make him drink.’
1930
Cakes & Ale
V.
‘He thinks he'd be mayor himself,’ said the people of Blackstable …My uncle remarked that you could take a horse to the water but your couldn't make him drink.
1970
in
Atlantic
(1979) July 50
The dropout rate [for the course] must be close to 90 percent. I guess you can take a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink.
1997
Washington Post
7 Dec.
(Momma comic strip)
We could send you out to a firm and convince them to hire you, but we're not sure you'd be willing to learn the job. In other words, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
free will and compulsion
the
is frequently omitted from the proverb and
lead
substituted for
take
.
c1175
Old English Homilies
(EETS) 1st Ser. 9
Hwa is thet mei thet hors wettrien the him self nule drinken [who can give water to the horse that will not drink of its own accord]?
1546
Dialogue of Proverbs
I. xi. D3
A man may well bryng a horse to the water, But he can not make hym drynke without he will.
1658
Mysteries of Love & Eloquence
160
A man may lead his Horse to water, but he cannot make him drink unless he list.
1857
Barchester Towers
III. i.
‘Well,’ said she ..‘one man can take a horse to water but a thousand can't make him drink.’
1930
Cakes & Ale
V.
‘He thinks he'd be mayor himself,’ said the people of Blackstable …My uncle remarked that you could take a horse to the water but your couldn't make him drink.
1970
in
Atlantic
(1979) July 50
The dropout rate [for the course] must be close to 90 percent. I guess you can take a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink.
1997
Washington Post
7 Dec.
(Momma comic strip)
We could send you out to a firm and convince them to hire you, but we're not sure you'd be willing to learn the job. In other words, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
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