The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (289 page)
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It's an ILL wind that blows nobody any good
A sailing metaphor frequently invoked to explain good luck arising from the source of others' misfortune.
1546
Dialogue of Proverbs
II. ix. L1
An yll wynde that blowth no man to good, men saie.
1591
Henry
VI, Pt. 3 II. v.55
Ill blows the wind that profits nobody.
1655
Church Hist. Britain
II. ii.
It is an ill wind which bloweth no man Profit. He is cast on the Shoar of Freezland where the Inhabitants were by his Preaching converted to Christianity.
1660
Rump
II. i.
'Tis an ill Wind they say bloughs no body good.
1832
Diary of Late Physician
I. i.
My good fortune (truly it is an ill wind that blows
nobody
any good) was almost too much for me.
1979
Angels in your Beer
xxviii.
It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good, but then John Quinlan .. was about as close to being a nobody as anyone could get.
1997
Times Magazine
23 Aug. 4
I am refusing to believe that it's an ill wind which blows absolutely no good whatsoever. There are those who already are telling me this is all good for me. It isn't though.
misfortune
1546Dialogue of Proverbs
II. ix. L1
An yll wynde that blowth no man to good, men saie.
1591
Henry
VI, Pt. 3 II. v.55
Ill blows the wind that profits nobody.
1655
Church Hist. Britain
II. ii.
It is an ill wind which bloweth no man Profit. He is cast on the Shoar of Freezland where the Inhabitants were by his Preaching converted to Christianity.
1660
Rump
II. i.
'Tis an ill Wind they say bloughs no body good.
1832
Diary of Late Physician
I. i.
My good fortune (truly it is an ill wind that blows
nobody
any good) was almost too much for me.
1979
Angels in your Beer
xxviii.
It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good, but then John Quinlan .. was about as close to being a nobody as anyone could get.
1997
Times Magazine
23 Aug. 4
I am refusing to believe that it's an ill wind which blows absolutely no good whatsoever. There are those who already are telling me this is all good for me. It isn't though.
misfortune
ill
IMITATION is the sincerest form of flattery
1820Lacon
I. 113
Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.
1843
Handley Cross
I. xv.
Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.
1940
Malice Domestic
13
Penny's [clothes] all seemed to be homemade copies of the expensive models her sister wore … Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but .. I wondered whether there might not be more to it.
1979
Arrow of God
III. xiv.
Oh, yess. Imitation sincerest form of flattery. Bootlickers.
1998
New York Times
2 Jan. E46
If it's true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then James Cagney must have been the most adulated movie star in the history of Hollywood.
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