The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (593 page)
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WALLS have ears
Similar to
FIELDS have eyes, and woods have ears
.
1575
Supposes
I
. i.
The table .., the portals, yes and the cupbords them selves have eares.
1592
French Alphabet
II
. 29
The walles may have some eares …
Les murailles ont des aureilles
.
1620
tr.
Cervantes' Don Quixote
II. xlviii.
They say Walls haue eares.
1766
Neck or Nothing
II
. i.
Not so fast and so loud, good master of mine—walls have ears.
1822
Nigel
I. vi.
It is not good to speak of such things… Stone walls have ears.
1958
Mountolive
XII
. 232
She lay in the silence of a room which had housed (if walls have ears) their most secret deliberations.
1995
All Deadly Beloved
iv. 51
I swore the tale would never leave that room. Foolish of her to believe that, since the walls have ears and German was bound to tell Pam…
eavesdroppers
FIELDS have eyes, and woods have ears
.
1575Supposes
I
. i.
The table .., the portals, yes and the cupbords them selves have eares.
1592
French Alphabet
II
. 29
The walles may have some eares …
Les murailles ont des aureilles
.
1620
tr.
Cervantes' Don Quixote
II. xlviii.
They say Walls haue eares.
1766
Neck or Nothing
II
. i.
Not so fast and so loud, good master of mine—walls have ears.
1822
Nigel
I. vi.
It is not good to speak of such things… Stone walls have ears.
1958
Mountolive
XII
. 232
She lay in the silence of a room which had housed (if walls have ears) their most secret deliberations.
1995
All Deadly Beloved
iv. 51
I swore the tale would never leave that room. Foolish of her to believe that, since the walls have ears and German was bound to tell Pam…
eavesdropperswalnut
WALNUTS and pears you plant for your heirs
The idea of ‘planting trees for posterity’ is much older than the specific references to walnuts and pears. Cf. CICERO
Cato Major
vii. 24
‘serit arbores, quae alteri saeclo prosint,’
ut ait Statius noster in Synephebis
, ‘he plants trees, which will be of use to another age;’ as [Caecilius] Statius says in his
Synephebi.
1640
Outlandish Proverbs
no. 198
The tree that growes slowly, keepes it selfe for another.
1732
Gnomologia
no 2401
He who plants a Walnut-tree, expects not to eat of the Fruit.
1863
Dreamthorp
xi.
My oaks are but saplings; but what undreamed-of English kings will they not outlive? .. A man does not plant a tree for himself; he plants it for posterity.
1907
English Proverbs
361
plant pears for your heirs. A proverb which no longer holds true, since pears are now made to yield well after a few years.
1941
Red Tapeworm
xv.
‘Better to plant them promptly,’ said Miss Quekett. ‘It's only walnuts and pears you plant for your heirs.’
children and parents
Cato Major
vii. 24
‘serit arbores, quae alteri saeclo prosint,’
ut ait Statius noster in Synephebis
, ‘he plants trees, which will be of use to another age;’ as [Caecilius] Statius says in his
Synephebi.
1640Outlandish Proverbs
no. 198
The tree that growes slowly, keepes it selfe for another.
1732
Gnomologia
no 2401
He who plants a Walnut-tree, expects not to eat of the Fruit.
1863
Dreamthorp
xi.
My oaks are but saplings; but what undreamed-of English kings will they not outlive? .. A man does not plant a tree for himself; he plants it for posterity.
1907
English Proverbs
361
plant pears for your heirs. A proverb which no longer holds true, since pears are now made to yield well after a few years.
1941
Red Tapeworm
xv.
‘Better to plant them promptly,’ said Miss Quekett. ‘It's only walnuts and pears you plant for your heirs.’
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