The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (385 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs

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move

see
FAITH will move mountains
.

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MUCH cry and little wool

a
1475
On Governance of England
(1885) x.
His hyghnes shall haue theroff, but as hadd the man that sherid is [sheared his] hogge, much crye and litil woll.
1659
Proverbs
(English) 13
A Great cry and little wooll, quoth the Devil when he sheard the hogg.
1711.
Spectator
18 Dec.
Those .. make the most noise, who have least to sell .. to whom I cannot but apply that old Proverb of
Much cry
,
but little wool
.
1922
Punch
29 Nov. 520
Ministers have taken good care that the adage, ‘Much cry and little wool,’ shall not apply to them.
1958
King must Die
I
. V.
They keep it [the codpiece] on under their kilts ..; much cry and little wool as the saying goes.

boasting
;
words and deeds

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MUCH would have more

c
1350
Douce MS
52 no. 65
Mykull [much] wulle more.
a
1400
Wars of Alexander
(EETS) l. 4397
Mekill wald have mare as many man spellis [tells].
1597
Plain Introduction to Music
II
. 70
The Common Prouerb is in me verified, that much would have more.
1732
Gnomologia
no. 3487
Much would have more; but often meets with less.
1897
Hist. Own Times
V. 131
Expedition after expedition has been sent out to extend the Egyptian frontier …‘Much will have more,’ the old proverb says; but in this case .. much is compelled for the sake of .. security to try to have more.
1928
Ransom for London
V
. iv.
Why should ten millions satisfy these people?..There is an old adage to the effect that much wants more.

greed
;
riches

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BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs

4.79Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

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