The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (594 page)
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If you WANT a thing done well, do it yourself
Very similar to
if you would be well SERVED, serve yourself
.
1541
tr.
H. Bullinger's Christian State of Matrimony
xix.
If thou wilt prospere, then loke to euery thynge thyne owne self.
1616
Adages
163
If a man will haue his business well done, he must doe it himselfe.
1858
Poems
(1960) 160
That's what I always say; if you want a thing to be well done, You must do it yourself.
1927
Times
14 Nov. 15
Lastly there is the illustration of the great principle: if you want a thing done, do it yourself.
1975
By Hook or by Crook
xxi.
Do you know how I got it done in the end? I went down to Annapolis myself. I always say, if you want a thing done well, do it yourself!
1998
Times
20 Jan. 7
After everything that's happend, pregnancy was the last thing on my mind … there's a lot to be said for the old adage that if you want a job doing properly, do it yourself.
efficiency and inefficiency
;
self-help
if you would be well SERVED, serve yourself
.
1541tr.
H. Bullinger's Christian State of Matrimony
xix.
If thou wilt prospere, then loke to euery thynge thyne owne self.
1616
Adages
163
If a man will haue his business well done, he must doe it himselfe.
1858
Poems
(1960) 160
That's what I always say; if you want a thing to be well done, You must do it yourself.
1927
Times
14 Nov. 15
Lastly there is the illustration of the great principle: if you want a thing done, do it yourself.
1975
By Hook or by Crook
xxi.
Do you know how I got it done in the end? I went down to Annapolis myself. I always say, if you want a thing done well, do it yourself!
1998
Times
20 Jan. 7
After everything that's happend, pregnancy was the last thing on my mind … there's a lot to be said for the old adage that if you want a job doing properly, do it yourself.
efficiency and inefficiency;
self-help
For WANT of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the man was lost
The proverb is found in a number of forms. Cf. late 15th-cent. Fr.
par ung seul clou perd on ung bon cheval
, by just one nail one loses a good horse;
c
1390
GOWER
Confessio Amantis
v. 4785 for sparinge of a litel cost Fulofte time a man hath lost The large cote for the hod [hood].
1629
Works
714
The French-men haue a military prouerbe, The losse of a nayle, the losse of an army. The want of a nayle looseth the shooe, the losse of shooe troubles the horse, the horse indangereth the rider, the rider breaking his ranke molests the company, so farre as to hazard the whole Army.
1640
Outlandish Proverbs
no. 499
For want of a naile the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost.
1880
Duty
x.
‘Don't care’ was the man who was to blame for the well-known catastrophe:—‘For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, and for want of a horse the man was lost.’
1925
Juno & Paycock
I
. 16
You bring your long-tailed shovel, an' I'll bring me navvy [device for excavating earth]. We mighten' want them, an', then agen, we might: for want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, an' for want of a horse the man was lost—aw, that's a darlin' proverb, a daarlin'.
1979
Missionaries & Cannibals
viii.
No detail .. was too small to be passed over … ‘For want of a nail,’ as the proverb said.
1995
National Review
12 June 10
For want of nail the battle was lost. Well, Republicans may have found just the right nail to win the entitlement battle.
action and consequence
;
great and small
par ung seul clou perd on ung bon cheval
, by just one nail one loses a good horse;
c
1390
GOWER
Confessio Amantis
v. 4785 for sparinge of a litel cost Fulofte time a man hath lost The large cote for the hod [hood].
1629Works
714
The French-men haue a military prouerbe, The losse of a nayle, the losse of an army. The want of a nayle looseth the shooe, the losse of shooe troubles the horse, the horse indangereth the rider, the rider breaking his ranke molests the company, so farre as to hazard the whole Army.
1640
Outlandish Proverbs
no. 499
For want of a naile the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost.
1880
Duty
x.
‘Don't care’ was the man who was to blame for the well-known catastrophe:—‘For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, and for want of a horse the man was lost.’
1925
Juno & Paycock
I
. 16
You bring your long-tailed shovel, an' I'll bring me navvy [device for excavating earth]. We mighten' want them, an', then agen, we might: for want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, an' for want of a horse the man was lost—aw, that's a darlin' proverb, a daarlin'.
1979
Missionaries & Cannibals
viii.
No detail .. was too small to be passed over … ‘For want of a nail,’ as the proverb said.
1995
National Review
12 June 10
For want of nail the battle was lost. Well, Republicans may have found just the right nail to win the entitlement battle.
action and consequence;
great and small
If you WANT something done, ask a busy person
The rationale behind this apparent paradox is indicated in quot. 1997.
1984
Christian Science Monitor
26 Oct. 38
It means. specifically, that you must banish all idleness; and it also means, in a general way, that if you want something done, you should ask a busy person—like me—to do it.
1997
Life Association News
Aug. 60
It's the old story: If you want something done, ask a busy person. They know how to manage their time.
1998
Times
9 Jan. 33
They do say that if you want something done you should ask a busy person, but there must be limits.
efficiency and inefficiency
1984Christian Science Monitor
26 Oct. 38
It means. specifically, that you must banish all idleness; and it also means, in a general way, that if you want something done, you should ask a busy person—like me—to do it.
1997
Life Association News
Aug. 60
It's the old story: If you want something done, ask a busy person. They know how to manage their time.
1998
Times
9 Jan. 33
They do say that if you want something done you should ask a busy person, but there must be limits.
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