The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (38 page)

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BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
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BETTER a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is
Herbs
here is used in the archaic sense of ‘plants of which the leaves are used as food’, and a
stalled ox
is one that is fattened in a stall for slaughter. With allusion to Proverbs xv. 17 (Geneva (1560) translation, which is closely followed by AV) Better is a dinner of green herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
1817
Letter
13 Mar. in
Memoir
(1855) II. 138
When you think of that amorous and herbivorous parish of Covent Garden, and compare it with my agricultural benefice, you will say, ‘Better is the dinner of herbs where love is, than the stalled ox,’ etc. etc.
1914
‘’
Beasts & Super-Beasts
227
The ox had finished the vase-flowers .. and appeared to be thinking of leaving its rather restricted quarters … I forget how the proverb runs …Something about ‘better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is’.
1979
I saw Him Die
viii.
Lunch was a silent affair … I said, ‘“Better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is.”’
content and discontent
;
food and drink
;
malice
BETTER a good cow than a cow of a good kind
A good character is better than a distinguished family.
1922
Huntingtower
X
.
I'm no weel acquaint wi' his forbears, but I'm weel eneuch acquaint wi' Sir Erchie, and ‘better a guid coo than a coo o' a guid kind’, as my mither used to say.
family
;
human nature
BETTER be an old man's darling, than a young man's slave
1546
Dialogue of Proverbs
II. vii. 13
V
Many yeres sens, my mother seyd to me, Hyr elders wold saie, it ys better to be An olde mans derlyng, then a yong mans werlyng [object of scorn].
1721
Scottish Proverbs
74
Better an old Man's Darling, than a young Man's Wonderling, say the Scots, Warling, say the English.
1859
Love & Fortune
8
Let defeated rivals snarling, Talk of one foot in the grave. Better be an old man's darling, Than become a young man's slave.
1885
How to be Happy though Married
v.
Perhaps the majority of girls would rather be a young man's slave than an old man's darling.
1980
Marsh Blood
ix.
Find yourself an older man. Much better to be an old man's darling, than a young man's slave.
love
;
wives and husbands

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