The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (411 page)
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ONCE a—-, always a—-
This formula produces a limitless variety of proverbs, many of them depreciatory. Some are of long standing, others appear to be nonce uses. A small selection of such sayings is illustrated below and in the next two entries.
1622
tr.
Aleman's Guzman
I.
I
. i.
Once a knaue, and euer a knaue:—For he that hath once beene naught, is presumed to bee so still .. not considering .. whether .. hee had reformed his manners or no.
1655
Church Hist. Britain
VII. xxviii.
Latimer by the courtesie of England (once a bishop, and ever a bishop) was in civility saluted Lord.
1706
Spanish & English Dict.
s.v. Hurtar,
Once a Thief, always a Thief.
1820
Letter
15 Nov. in
Maria Edgeworth in France & Switzerland
(1979) 277
She loses her rank .. by marrying one of inferior rank—French and Russians are with reason surprised with the superior gallantry of our customs which say once a Lady and always a lady.
1953
Long Good-bye
xliv.
I went out of the door and got out of the building fast. Once a patsy [dupe], always a patsy.
1993
Death in Country
xvii. 119
Once a copper always a copper, she thought. The bastard was going to charge her.
constancy and inconstancy
;
human nature
1622tr.
Aleman's Guzman
I.
I
. i.
Once a knaue, and euer a knaue:—For he that hath once beene naught, is presumed to bee so still .. not considering .. whether .. hee had reformed his manners or no.
1655
Church Hist. Britain
VII. xxviii.
Latimer by the courtesie of England (once a bishop, and ever a bishop) was in civility saluted Lord.
1706
Spanish & English Dict.
s.v. Hurtar,
Once a Thief, always a Thief.
1820
Letter
15 Nov. in
Maria Edgeworth in France & Switzerland
(1979) 277
She loses her rank .. by marrying one of inferior rank—French and Russians are with reason surprised with the superior gallantry of our customs which say once a Lady and always a lady.
1953
Long Good-bye
xliv.
I went out of the door and got out of the building fast. Once a patsy [dupe], always a patsy.
1993
Death in Country
xvii. 119
Once a copper always a copper, she thought. The bastard was going to charge her.
constancy and inconstancy;
human nature
ONCE a priest, always a priest
An act enabling the clergy of the Church of England to unfrock themselves (the Clerical Disabilities Act) was passed on 9 Aug.
1870.
1859
Twice round Clock
290
The great case of Horne Tooke versus the House of Commons—‘Once a priest forever a priest.’
1865
Life & Letters
(1906) ix.
As in this—country we stick to the maxim, ‘once a parson, always a parson,’ I could not .. go in for law.
1916
Portrait of Artist
(1967) iv.
You must be quite sure, Stephen, that you have a vocation because it would be terrible if you found afterwards that you had none. Once a priest always a priest, remember.
1920
Bookman
Sept. 192
No former celibate, with Boris's incapacity for blotting out his past, could be happy until he returned to his cell—once a priest always a priest, is a true enough motto so far as he is concerned.
1971
Lion Country
ii.
I had this notion that once a priest always a priest, that however far Bebb had fallen, he still bore the mark upon him like an old tattoo or an appendix scar.
constancy and inconstancy
1870.
1859Twice round Clock
290
The great case of Horne Tooke versus the House of Commons—‘Once a priest forever a priest.’
1865
Life & Letters
(1906) ix.
As in this—country we stick to the maxim, ‘once a parson, always a parson,’ I could not .. go in for law.
1916
Portrait of Artist
(1967) iv.
You must be quite sure, Stephen, that you have a vocation because it would be terrible if you found afterwards that you had none. Once a priest always a priest, remember.
1920
Bookman
Sept. 192
No former celibate, with Boris's incapacity for blotting out his past, could be happy until he returned to his cell—once a priest always a priest, is a true enough motto so far as he is concerned.
1971
Lion Country
ii.
I had this notion that once a priest always a priest, that however far Bebb had fallen, he still bore the mark upon him like an old tattoo or an appendix scar.
constancy and inconstancyONCE a whore, always a whore
1613Laquei Ridiculosi
II
. cxxi.
Well you may change your name, But once a Whore, you shall be still the same.
1659
Proverbs
82
Once a whore and alwaies a whore.
1754
World
31 Jan. 344
Supposing him to have acquired so much wealth, the proverb of ‘Once a whore, and always a whore’, is less significant.
1824
Hist. Kentucky
II. v.
‘Once a prostitute, and always a prostitute,’ is a fair mode of argument—at least, among politicians.
1981
Old Priory
V
. iii.
There is a saying, ‘Once a whore, always a whore.’
constancy and incontancy;
wrong-doers
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