The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (403 page)
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NOTHING is certain but the unforeseen
Similar to
the UNEXPECTED always happens
.
1886
Oceana
vii.
There is a proverb that ‘nothing is certain but the unforeseen’, and in fact few things turn out as we expect them.
1905
Gospel according to St. Matthew
I. 322
There is nothing certain to happen, says the proverb, but the unforeseen. Tomorrow
will have
its cares.
certainty and uncertainty
;
foresight and hindsight
the UNEXPECTED always happens
.
1886Oceana
vii.
There is a proverb that ‘nothing is certain but the unforeseen’, and in fact few things turn out as we expect them.
1905
Gospel according to St. Matthew
I. 322
There is nothing certain to happen, says the proverb, but the unforeseen. Tomorrow
will have
its cares.
certainty and uncertainty;
foresight and hindsight
There is NOTHING new under the sun
With allusion to
ECCLESIASTES
i. 9 (AV) There is no new thing under the sun.
1592
French Alphabet
II
. 7
Under the large Cope of heauen, we see not a new thing.
1664
Works
(1867) 53
There is no new thing under the sun.
1801
Writings
(1904) X. 229
We can no longer say there is nothing new under the sun.
1850
Alton Locke
I
. xviii.
There is nothing new under the sun; all that, is stale and trite to a septuagenarian, who has seen where it all ends.
1979
Sense of Order
i.
It rather looks as if there were nothing new under the sun and as if all change was only apparent.
1997
American Spectator
Feb. 68
His message—there's nothing new under the sun—is hardly original, but his manner of telling it is.
familiarity
;
novelty
ECCLESIASTES
i. 9 (AV) There is no new thing under the sun.
1592French Alphabet
II
. 7
Under the large Cope of heauen, we see not a new thing.
1664
Works
(1867) 53
There is no new thing under the sun.
1801
Writings
(1904) X. 229
We can no longer say there is nothing new under the sun.
1850
Alton Locke
I
. xviii.
There is nothing new under the sun; all that, is stale and trite to a septuagenarian, who has seen where it all ends.
1979
Sense of Order
i.
It rather looks as if there were nothing new under the sun and as if all change was only apparent.
1997
American Spectator
Feb. 68
His message—there's nothing new under the sun—is hardly original, but his manner of telling it is.
familiarity;
novelty
NOTHING should be done in haste but gripping a flea
a1655
in
Anecdotes & Traditions
(1839)
I
. 55
A grave gentleman in this Kingdome us'd this phrase often: ‘Do nothing rashly, but catching of fleas.’
1678
English Proverbs
(ed. 2) 151
Nothing most be done hastily but killing of fleas.
1721
Scottish Proverbs
261
Nothing to be done in haste, but gripping of Fleas… Spoken when we are unreasonably urged to make haste.
1927
Witch Wood
xii.
What's the need o' hurry when the body's leg is still to set. As my auld mither used to say, naething suld be done in haste but grippin' a flea.
1969
Compleat Flea
i.
‘Do nothing hastily but catching of fleas’, warns a wary proverb.
NOTHING so bad but it might have been worse
A more positive version is
1817
SCOTT
Rob Roy
II. xiii. There's naething sae gude on this side o' time but it might hae been better.
1876
Manchester Man
III. xiii.
However, there is nothing so bad but it might be worse.
1885
How to be Happy though Married
xxi.
Let us resolve to look at the bright side of things … ‘Nothing so bad but it might have been worse.’
1908
Times
5 Oct. 3
Farmers .. will regard the .. meteorological changes as illustrating the ancient axiom to the effect that circumstances are never so bad that they cannot be worse.
good and evil
;
optimism
1817
SCOTT
Rob Roy
II. xiii. There's naething sae gude on this side o' time but it might hae been better.
1876Manchester Man
III. xiii.
However, there is nothing so bad but it might be worse.
1885
How to be Happy though Married
xxi.
Let us resolve to look at the bright side of things … ‘Nothing so bad but it might have been worse.’
1908
Times
5 Oct. 3
Farmers .. will regard the .. meteorological changes as illustrating the ancient axiom to the effect that circumstances are never so bad that they cannot be worse.
good and evil;
optimism
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