Read The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs Online
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The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (65 page)
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BREVITY is the soul of wit
In quot. 1600–1
soul of wit
should be understood as ‘essence of wisdom’;
wit
is now commonly understood in its modern sense, the ‘(power of giving sudden intellectual pleasure by) the unexpected, quick, and humorous combining or contrasting of ideas or expressions’ (COD).
1600
–
1
Hamlet
II. ii. 90
Since brevity is the soul of wit .. I will be brief.
1833
Tom Cringle's Log
II. v.
Brevity is the soul of wit, —ahem.
1946
Maiden Voyage
x.
I will not repeat myself, since brevity is the soul of wit.
1981
Times
18 Sept. 27
Mr Carrott .. has yet to learn that brevity is often the soul of wit, but he has little to learn about the vast vocabulary of body language.
1996
Washington Post
8 Sept. C5
Clinton is Southern and given to garrulousness while brevity, as they say, is the soul of wit.
brevity and long-windedness
soul of wit
should be understood as ‘essence of wisdom’;
wit
is now commonly understood in its modern sense, the ‘(power of giving sudden intellectual pleasure by) the unexpected, quick, and humorous combining or contrasting of ideas or expressions’ (COD).
1600–
1
Hamlet
II. ii. 90
Since brevity is the soul of wit .. I will be brief.
1833
Tom Cringle's Log
II. v.
Brevity is the soul of wit, —ahem.
1946
Maiden Voyage
x.
I will not repeat myself, since brevity is the soul of wit.
1981
Times
18 Sept. 27
Mr Carrott .. has yet to learn that brevity is often the soul of wit, but he has little to learn about the vast vocabulary of body language.
1996
Washington Post
8 Sept. C5
Clinton is Southern and given to garrulousness while brevity, as they say, is the soul of wit.
brevity and long-windednessAs you BREW, so shall you bake
Cf.
As you BAKE, so shall you brew
. Medieval usage makes the connection between brewing and drinking rather than between brewing and baking, as in the following:
1264
in C. Brown
English Lyrics of XIIIth Century
(1932) 131 Let him habbe ase he brew, bale [misery] to dryng [drink]
a
1325
Cursor Mundi
(EETS) 1. 2848 Nathing of that land [is not submerged], Suilk [such] als thai brued now ha thai dronken.
c
1450
Towneley Play of Second Shepherd
(EETS) 1. 501 Bot we must drynk as we brew And that is bot reson.
c
1570
Disobedient Child
D8
V
As he had brewed, that so shulde bake.
1766
&
Clandestine Marriage
I. 3
As you sow, you must reap—as you brew, so you must bake.
1922
Ovington's Bank
xxiii.
No, you may go, my lad. As you ha' brewed you may bake.
action and consequence
As you BAKE, so shall you brew
. Medieval usage makes the connection between brewing and drinking rather than between brewing and baking, as in the following:
1264
in C. Brown
English Lyrics of XIIIth Century
(1932) 131 Let him habbe ase he brew, bale [misery] to dryng [drink]
a
1325
Cursor Mundi
(EETS) 1. 2848 Nathing of that land [is not submerged], Suilk [such] als thai brued now ha thai dronken.
c
1450
Towneley Play of Second Shepherd
(EETS) 1. 501 Bot we must drynk as we brew And that is bot reson.
c1570
Disobedient Child
D8
V
As he had brewed, that so shulde bake.
1766
&
Clandestine Marriage
I. 3
As you sow, you must reap—as you brew, so you must bake.
1922
Ovington's Bank
xxiii.
No, you may go, my lad. As you ha' brewed you may bake.
action and consequence
BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
13.47Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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