The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (361 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs

11.11Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Read Book Download Book

ads

men

Back
-

New Search

mend

see
it is NEVER too late to mend
;
when THINGS are at the worst they begin to mend
.

Back
-

New Search

mended

see
LEAST said, soonest mended
.

Back
-

New Search

mending

see
a WOMAN and a ship ever want mending
.

Back
-

New Search

mention

see
never mention ROPE in the house of a man who has been hanged
.

Back
-

New Search

merrier

see
the MORE the merrier
.

Back
-

New Search

It is MERRY in hall when beards wag all

c
1300
King Alisaunder
(EETS) l. 1164
Swithe [so] mury hit is in halle, When the burdes wawen alle!
1546
Dialogue of Proverbs
II
. vii. 13
^VIt is mery in halle, When berds wag all.
1598
Henry IV
,
Pt. 2
V
. iii. 35
Be merry, be merry, my wife has all … 'Tis merry in hall when beards wag all.
1738
Polite Conversation
II
. 170
Come; they say, 'Tis merry in Hall, when Beards wag all.
1857
Barchester Towers
III. iv.
‘'Twas merry in the hall when the beards wagged all;’ and the clerical beards wagged merrily .. that day.
1976
Treasury Alarm
i.
Presumably this is how the Treasury greybeards get their fun. Are they in fact grey-beared. One rather assumes a great wagging of beards:
'tis merry in hall when beards wag all
.