Read The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs Online
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The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (326 page)
BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
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There is no LITTLE enemy
Cf.
c
1386
CHAUCER
Tale of Melibee
l. 1322 Ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone, nat oonly fro thy gretteste enemys, but fro thy leeste enemy. Senek seith: ‘A man that is well avysed, he dredeth his leste enemy.’
1659
Proverbs
8
There's no enemy little, viz. we must not undervalue any foe.
1733
Poor Richard's Almanack
(Sept.)
There is no little enemy.
1887
Pleasures of Life
I. V.
To be friendly with every one is another matter; we must remember that there is no little enemy.
enemies
;
malice
c
1386
CHAUCER
Tale of Melibee
l. 1322 Ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone, nat oonly fro thy gretteste enemys, but fro thy leeste enemy. Senek seith: ‘A man that is well avysed, he dredeth his leste enemy.’
1659Proverbs
8
There's no enemy little, viz. we must not undervalue any foe.
1733
Poor Richard's Almanack
(Sept.)
There is no little enemy.
1887
Pleasures of Life
I. V.
To be friendly with every one is another matter; we must remember that there is no little enemy.
enemies;
malice
LITTLE fish are sweet
1830Vocabulary of East Anglia
434
‘Little fish are sweet.’—It means small gifts are always acceptable.
1914
Folk of Furry Farm
vii.
‘They'll sell at a loss,’ he went on, with a sigh, ‘but sure, little fish is sweet! and the rent has to be made up’.
1981
Brock
92
Wealthy proprietor of the
Melford Echo
and three or four small newspapers in the country. (‘Little fish are sweet, old boy.’)
great and smallA LITTLE knowledge is a dangerous thing
The
Pierian spring
in quot. 1711 refers to the classical tradition that the Muses were born in the Pieria region of northern Greece. The original
learning
is also used instead of
knowledge
.
1711
Essay on Criticism
l. 215
A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring.
1829
Boxiana
2nd Ser. II. 4
The sensible idea, that ‘A little learning is a dangerous thing!’
1881
Science & Culture
iv.
If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger?
1974
Porterhouse Blue
xviii.
His had been an intellectual decision founded on his conviction that if a little knowledge was a dangerous thing, a lot was lethal.
1997
Times
21 July 21
A little knowledge may or may not be a dangerous thing. It will certainly soon be more expensive.
ignorance
;
learning
Pierian spring
in quot. 1711 refers to the classical tradition that the Muses were born in the Pieria region of northern Greece. The original
learning
is also used instead of
knowledge
.
1711Essay on Criticism
l. 215
A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring.
1829
Boxiana
2nd Ser. II. 4
The sensible idea, that ‘A little learning is a dangerous thing!’
1881
Science & Culture
iv.
If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger?
1974
Porterhouse Blue
xviii.
His had been an intellectual decision founded on his conviction that if a little knowledge was a dangerous thing, a lot was lethal.
1997
Times
21 July 21
A little knowledge may or may not be a dangerous thing. It will certainly soon be more expensive.
ignorance;
learning
BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
3.97Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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