The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (61 page)
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Never send a BOY to do a man's job
1931Great Mouthpiece
xii.
Mr. Alfred J. Talley .. took command of the .. prosecution. He was an able man …‘It's about
time
they gave me a run for the money,’ Fallon said. ‘The People shouldn't send boys on men's errands.’
1941
‘’
Our Second Murder
xxviii.
Never send a boy to do a man's work.
1951
You can't catch Me
ii.
‘This fat character is smart, you understand. Do you send a boy out on a man's job?’ .. ‘That's why we need a man like you.’
1967
Hearse with Horses
vi.
He blushed. Piron thought that he shouldn't have sent a boy to do a man's job.
1987
Washington Post
21 Jan. D10
Research proves that in more than 99 percent of these cases, the defender who has overruffed endears himself by uttering the old cliche, ‘Never send a boy to do a man's job.’
efficiency and inefficiency;
work
Two BOYS are half a boy, and three boys are no boy at all
The more boys that help, the less work they do.
c
1930
Country Calendar
114
Their parents do not encourage the joining of forces … We have a proverb here: ‘Two boys are half a boy, and three boys are no boy at all.’
1971
New York Times
31 Jan. IV. 12
Rural New England of the mid-nineteenth century, not commonly sophisticated in mathematics but witty enough about man's condition, used to [say] .. ‘One boy helping, a pretty good boy; two boys, half a boy; three boys, no boy.’
assistance
;
efficiency and inefficiency
;
work
c1930
Country Calendar
114
Their parents do not encourage the joining of forces … We have a proverb here: ‘Two boys are half a boy, and three boys are no boy at all.’
1971
New York Times
31 Jan. IV. 12
Rural New England of the mid-nineteenth century, not commonly sophisticated in mathematics but witty enough about man's condition, used to [say] .. ‘One boy helping, a pretty good boy; two boys, half a boy; three boys, no boy.’
assistance;
efficiency and inefficiency
;
work
BOYS will be boys
Occasionally
girls will be girls
.
1601
Plain Man's Pathway
64
Youth will be youthfull, when you haue saide all that you can.
1826
Granby
II. vii.
Girls will be girls. They like admiration.
1848
Vanity Fair
xiii.
As for the pink bonnets .. why boys will be boys.
1964
Frozen Assets
iii.
I tried to tell him that boys will be boys and you're only young once.
1986
Nice Class of Corpse
xxx.
He appealed to his mother for approbation and was rewarded by an indulgent ‘boys will be boys’ smile.
human nature
girls will be girls
.
1601Plain Man's Pathway
64
Youth will be youthfull, when you haue saide all that you can.
1826
Granby
II. vii.
Girls will be girls. They like admiration.
1848
Vanity Fair
xiii.
As for the pink bonnets .. why boys will be boys.
1964
Frozen Assets
iii.
I tried to tell him that boys will be boys and you're only young once.
1986
Nice Class of Corpse
xxx.
He appealed to his mother for approbation and was rewarded by an indulgent ‘boys will be boys’ smile.
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