The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (84 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
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CHEATS never prosper
Also
cheaters
, esp. in US. Cf.
a
1612
J. HARINGTON
Epigrams
(1618) iv. 5 Treason doth neuer prosper, what's the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it Treason.
1805
Tour in America
II. xxix.
It is a common saying in England, that ‘Cheating never thrives’: but, in America, with honest trading you cannot succeed.
1903
Collectanea
II. 38
‘Cheating never prospers.’ A proverb frequently thrown at each other by young people when playing cards.
1935
William—the Detective
vi.
They avenged themselves upon the newcomer .. by shouting the time-honoured taunt ‘Cheats never prosper’.
1971
Green Hell Treasure
ii.
‘So you figured .. that someone in the classroom had been helping him with his homework, and that was cheating. Which you frown on.’ ‘With reason,’ Da Silva said virtuously. ‘Cheaters never prosper’.
1997
Washington Post
19 Oct. D10
Cheaters never prosper. Who thought Orel Hershiser, one of baseball's leading citizens for 15 years, would ever have to endure such words?
wrong-doers
A CHERRY year, a merry year; a plum year, a dumb year
1678
English Proverbs
(ed. 2) 52
A cherry year a merry year: A plum year a dumb year. This is a puerile and senceless rythme … as far as I can see.
1869
Weather Lore
14
The progress of the seasons may be watched by observing the punctuality of the vegetable world … A cherry year, a merry year. A plum year, a dumb year.
1979
Satan Sampler
ix.
Warboys was studying an arrangement of cherry blossom … The blossom was good this year. A cherry year, a merry year.
garden lore
BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
11.19Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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