English proverbs and sayings

To push up daisies.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Is a euphemism for being dead and buried. It suggests that the body is decomposing in the ground, allowing daisies and other flowers to grow above it. The phrase is believed to have originated in the early 20th century. It is derived from the imagery of flowers, particularly daisies, growing over a grave. The exact author or first usage is not clearly documented, but it has been popularized in literature and colloquial speech. *Usage:* Commonly used in a humorous or light-hearted context to discuss death without being overly morbid. *Example: “After that long illness, he finally pushed up daisies.”* *Cultural References:* The idiom has appeared in various forms of media, including literature, films, and songs, often to convey themes of mortality in a less serious manner. *Conclusion: “To push up daisies”* serves as a clever way to address the topic of death, using nature and flowers as a metaphor to soften the impact. 🌱

Something’s fishy.

To use someone as a cat’s paw.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning** 🎯: – To manipulate someone into doing a risky, dirty, or unpleasant task so that another person can benefit. – The person being used is the “cat’s paw” (a dupe, stooge, pawn). 🔥🐱 . **Origin** 📜: – The idiom comes from the fable of the monkey and the cat, where a monkey gets a cat to pull roasted chestnuts from a fire; the cat burns its paw while the monkey eats the chestnuts. – Most famously told by *Jean de La Fontaine* as *“Le Singe et le Chat”* (Fables, Book IX, 1679), though versions existed in the medieval Aesopic tradition earlier. – Entered English figurative use by the mid-17th century (OED cites 1657). ⏳ *Author/Attribution* ✍️: – No single *“author”* of the idiom. It’s derived from a traditional fable. – *Literary popularizer: Jean de La Fontaine.* The story is often loosely linked to Aesop, but this specific tale is not in the classical Greek Aesop corpus; it circulated in later medieval *“Aesopic”* collections. *Usage Examples* 🗣️: – “They used the junior analyst as a cat’s paw to deliver the bad news.” – “Don’t be their cat’s paw in this office politics game.” *Related Expressions* 🔗: – “To pull someone’s chestnuts out of the fire” (same fable). – Dupe, stooge, pawn, tool. *Note* 🚩: – Not to be confused with *“cat’s-paw”* in sailing/meteorology, which refers to small patches of ripples caused by a light breeze on water. 🌬️🌊

To have a long face.

Toasting to beauty with a pint.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. Meaning: It refers to the custom of toasting beautiful people, often in a social setting, using beer or other drinks to celebrate the occasion. **Origin:** This expression originates from English pub culture, where it is customary to toast special moments, such as celebrating friendship, love, or beauty. Toasting is a social ritual common to many cultures, and the idea of toasting to beauty reflects an appreciation for aesthetics and the joy of life. **Author:** There is no specific author or source associated with this expression, as it is a general theme that appears in various forms throughout English language and culture. The idea of toasting to beauty is often found in various song lyrics, poems, and social customs, but it is not linked to a single work or author. *Additional Information:*Toasting to beauty can also be seen in the context of romantic relationships, where friends or lovers compliment each other and enjoy a drink together. This custom is often seen in films, music, and literature, where it symbolizes festivity and togetherness. 🍻✨

When the fish is caught, the sharks come.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** The expression means that whenever someone is successful or has achieved something worthwhile, there are always opportunists *(the “sharks”)* who want to take advantage of that situation. It emphasizes the idea that success often attracts people who want to profit from the efforts of others. **Origin:** The origin of this expression is not precisely traceable, but the use of fish and shark metaphors is widespread in English language and literature. The idea of opportunism is a theme that often appears in stories and proverbs, giving this expression a timeless relevance. Author: This proverb has no specific author, as it is a popular expression used colloquially. It is an example of a universal concept that occurs across cultures and languages, comparable to similar sayings in other languages.

To be stranded.

Barking up the wrong tree.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** This saying means that someone is mistaken about the cause of a problem or is making the wrong assumptions about a situation. It refers to the idea that someone is focusing on something that is not relevant or correct, often in the context of looking for a solution or making an accusation. **Origin:** The expression originates from the hunting world, where dogs sometimes bark at a tree where they think their prey is, when in fact the prey is somewhere else. The image of someone barking up the wrong tree captures the essence of the saying. **Author:** There is no specific author for this expression, as it is an idiomatic expression that has developed in the English language over time. It was first documented in the United States in the 19th century, but its exact origin is difficult to trace. *Summary:* *“Barking up the wrong tree”* is a figurative expression that refers to making incorrect assumptions or focusing on the wrong thing. It is a common expression in English and has roots in hunting practices of the past.

The chick thinks it knows better than the hen.

Photo: nostalgicamerica. **Meaning:** The proverb means that a younger person (the chick) often thinks they are smarter than the older generation (the hen). It indicates that younger people sometimes underestimate the wisdom or experience of their elders. **Origin:** This proverb comes from English vernacular and is an example of folk wisdom. The use of animals in proverbs is common in English culture, often conveying a moral lesson or life wisdom. **Author:** The exact author of this proverb is unknown, as it is a traditional expression passed down through generations. It is representative of English folklore and can appear in several variations.

To have broad shoulders.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** It refers to someone who is capable of bearing heavy responsibilities or withstanding criticism and pressure. It also implies that the person is strong and resilient, both emotionally and mentally. **Origin:** The origin of this expression cannot be traced exactly, but the image of *‘broad shoulders’* is a common symbol in the English language and literature. The idea is that someone with broad shoulders is physically capable of carrying more, which is applied metaphorically to emotional and social burdens. Author: There is no specific author associated with this expression, as it is a piece of folk wisdom that has developed over time and become established in the English language. It is often used in literature and colloquial speech, but it is difficult to trace it back to a single source or author. *Additional Information:* The expression is often used in various contexts, such as in politics, business or personal relationships, where individuals are praised for their ability to cope with pressure and take on responsibilities.

Hope gives life.

Photo: Pixabay. **Meaning:** *Interpretation:* This saying emphasizes the importance of hope in difficult times. It suggests that hope can motivate people and help them keep going, even when circumstances are challenging. In adversity, it’s good to believe that things will get better.

Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** This saying describes the difficulty of catching or holding onto something that is intangible.

He is a safe harbor.

Image: Peter van Geest. **Meaning:** Someone who provides a place of safety and support.

In safe harbor

Photo: Ingo Kubke. **Meaning:** Referring to a safe, protected situation, often used in legal and financial contexts.

As honest as the day is long.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** This saying means that someone is very honest and sincere, without a shadow of a doubt. It suggests that the person’s honesty is as indisputable as the length of a day.

From old beams one carves new spoons.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** *Core message:* The expression means that you can make new and useful objects from old or used materials. It emphasizes the importance of reuse, creativity, and resourcefulness. **Origin:** This saying is original a Dutch proverb that originated in traditional craft practices, where wood and other materials were often reused to create new products. It reflects a broader cultural value present in many societies, namely the idea of sustainability and appreciating what you have. **Author:** The exact origin or author of this particular expression is difficult to trace, as it is folk wisdom passed down through time. Often, such sayings are not attributed to a single author but arise from the collective experiences and wisdom of the community. *Conclusion:* This saying is a beautiful example of how traditional wisdom can inspire us to be creative and sustainable with the resources we have. 🌳✨

Even the best fisherman lets a fish escape.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** *Interpretation:* This saying means that even the most skilled or experienced people make mistakes or lose something from time to time. It reminds us that no one is perfect and that failure is a normal part of life. **Origin:** This saying comes from English culture and is a traditional expression often used in conversations about skill and coping with setbacks. The image of the fisherman and the eel symbolizes the challenges people face, regardless of their expertise. **Author:** There is no specific author of this saying, as it is folk wisdom that has been passed down through the years and has become engrained in the English language. *Extra:* These types of sayings are often found in literature and everyday conversation, and they contribute to the cultural identity of a language region. 🌊🎣

To affix one’s seal to something.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** The expression refers to confirming or approving something, often in a formal context. The idea of a seal symbolises authority and legitimacy, such as the approval of documents or agreements. **Origin:** This expression stems from the tradition of using a seal (such as a wax seal) to authenticate documents. The use of seals dates back to ancient times and was a way of confirming the identity of the signatory. **Author:** There is no specific author associated with this expression, as it is a common saying used in English language. It belongs to the broader cultural and linguistic context of the English language and can occur in various documents and situations. *Application:* This expression can often be found in legal, business or administrative texts.

Other people are also people.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** The sentence emphasises the shared humanity of all people. It calls for empathy and understanding for others, regardless of differences.

Slippery as an eel.

Image: Ralph Altrip Germany AI. **Meaning:** Someone who is: *Elusive:* Hard to catch or pin down. *Slick:* Smooth in behavior, often in a deceitful way.

From A to Z.

Photo: blickpixel. **Meaning:** From beginning to end. Usage: It is often used to indicate that something is complete or comprehensive, covering all aspects or parts. **Origin:** The expression originated in Dutch, but the idea of covering a full spectrum of topics is universal and occurs in many languages. A synonym is the expression *“Van Alpha tot Omega”* (*From Alpha to Omega*). *Letters:* The letters A and Z are the first and last letters of the alphabet, symbolizing completeness. **Author:** No specific author: “Van A tot Z” is a general expression and has no specific author. It is a commonly used phrase in Dutch language and culture.

No fish escapes the net.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** The phrase refers to rules or regulations that are very strict. The idea is that even minor exceptions (compared to eels) cannot slip through the cracks. **Origin:** This phrase is an English saying often used to indicate the strictness of certain regulations or standards. The use of fishing nets as a metaphor suggests that even the smallest things cannot escape scrutiny. **Author:** The specific author of this quote is not widely known. It appears to be more of a traditional saying that originated in English culture and has been passed down through the years. **Note:** This saying can be applied in a variety of contexts, such as legislation, social norms, or even company rules, where emphasizing strict adherence is important.

To be broke.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To have no money.

Break the ice.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** English expression meaning: to start a conversation or to reduce social tension in a group. It is often used in situations where people do not know each other well or when there is an uncomfortable atmosphere. **Origin:** The expression comes from the metaphor of breaking ice to gain access to open water. In a social context it refers to breaking through the initial awkwardness between people. **Author:** This expression is not a quote from a specific author, but rather a commonly used saying in the English language. It is part of English culture and is often used in social interactions.

Xantippe.

Photo: Logan Art. **Meaning:** *Xanthippe* refers to a woman who is considered difficult, quarrelsome, or nagging. It is an expression often used to describe a woman who is difficult to get along with, especially in the context of a relationship or marriage. **Origin:** The term *“Xanthippe”* comes from Xanthippe, the wife of the Greek philosopher Socrates. Xanthippe is often depicted as a woman with a sharp tongue and a difficult personality, who frequently criticized her husband. The story of Xanthippe has been used throughout the centuries as an archetype for the “nagging wife.” **Author:** The expression does not originate from a specific author, but is rather a cultural reference stemming from the historical figure of Xanthippe herself and stories about her in literature and history. *Conclusion:* The saying reflects a stereotype that has persisted throughout time and has found its place in English language and culture. Its usage can vary depending on the context and the speaker’s intention.

To put something on the line.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To consciously risk or put something on the line, often with significant consequences. **Author:** No specific author. It is a traditional expression/proverbial saying that has developed organically from language usage and has been historically recorded in dictionaries and texts.

Nothing stops the flow.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** This expression emphasises that there are no obstacles to progress.

Bring your own spoon.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** *Hospitality:* The saying refers to the idea of one person being a guest in another’s home, which is a sign of friendship and camaraderie. *Traditional Meaning:* Bringing your own spoon symbolizes that you are prepared to share in the meal and are actively participating in the host’s hospitality. *Historical Context Eating Habits:* In earlier times, especially in rural areas, it was more common to bring your own eating utensils, such as a spoon, because not everyone had access to sufficient cutlery. This was a practical solution. *Social Norms:* Bringing a spoon can also be seen as a sign of respect for the host, as it reduces the host’s burden of providing the meal. *Cultural Relevance Hospitality:* In many cultures, hospitality is an important aspect of social interactions. The saying emphasizes the value of eating together and the connections it creates. *Symbolism of the Spoon:* The spoon itself plays an important role in the dining experience, and using a spoon can also symbolize sharing food and life experiences. While the original meaning may be less familiar to younger generations, the saying can still be used to express the intention of hospitality and camaraderie. Variations: There may be regional variations in the interpretation of the saying, depending on local traditions and customs. *Summary Meaning:* To stay with someone, with a focus on hospitality and camaraderie. *Historical Context:* Bringing a spoon is a practical and social norm.
*Cultural Relevance:* Hospitality is an important aspect of human interaction and connection. *Modern Usage:* Still relevant in conversations about hospitality, although the original meaning may be less well-known.

You don’t know what spoon you’re stirring with.

Image: Petervan Geest AI. **Meaning:** This expression refers to being unaware of the means or resources you use in a given situation, and the consequences that arise from them. **Origin:** *Folk wisdom:* The saying is an example of folk wisdom that originated in the English language. The use of the spoon in combination with porridge symbolizes everyday actions and their impact. *Language use:* The expression probably originated at a time when cooking and preparing food played a central role in everyday life. The saying is a powerful metaphor for unconscious action and its consequences, but its exact origins or first publication remain unclear.

Christmas is a time when dreams can come true.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. Meaning: This quote emphasizes the magic of Christmas and the hope that dreams and wishes can come true during this festive season. **Origin:** *Seasonal:* The quote is typical of the Christmas season, when many people reflect on their dreams and desires. *Cultural Context:* Christmas is often seen as a time of giving, sharing, and hope, which reinforces the quote’s message. **Author:** *Unknown:* This seems to be a general statement that cannot be specifically attributed to a particular author. However, it reflects a widely shared sentiment about the holidays. *Conclusion:* This quote evokes a sense of optimism and possibility, which underscores the essence of the Christmas celebration.

Christmas is a time for giving.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** *Christmas:* A festival celebrated worldwide to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. *Season of Giving:* This refers to the tradition of giving gifts and sharing love and joy with others during the holidays. It emphasizes the value of generosity and togetherness. **Origin:** Although originally a pagan festival (solstice), it was given a Christian flavor by the Council of Nicaea. Cultural Tradition: The quote reflects the broader cultural and religious traditions of Christmas, which emphasize giving and sharing. *Religious Context:* In Christianity, the birth of Jesus is often seen as a gift to humanity, which reinforces the emphasis on giving. **Author:** *Unknown:* The specific quote “Christmas is a season of giving” is a common saying and is not directly attributed to a specific author. It is a general sentiment shared by many. *Conclusion:* The quote emphasizes the essence of the Christmas season as a time of generosity and togetherness, which is an important aspect of Christmas celebrations in many cultures.

To make someone laugh until they cry.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To make someone laugh so hard that they get tears in their eyes.

Sabbath Journey.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** *Short Distance:* According to Jewish law, one is generally not permitted to travel further than about 2,000 cubits (about 1 kilometer or about 15 minutes) on the Sabbath, but there are also traditions indicating that in some cases one was permitted to go further, depending on the situation. *Spiritual Journey:* The concepts of distance and journey on the Sabbath can also be interpreted metaphorically as an invitation to spiritual reflection and growth. *Conclusion:* The phrase “Sabbath journey” and its biblical context emphasize the importance of rest, reflection, and the spiritual significance of travel within the Jewish tradition. It demonstrates how religious precepts impact daily life, including travel habits. Source: *The Bible:* Exodus 16:29 speaks of the Sabbath and its importance. God tells people to rest on the Sabbath and not to do their usual work. This verse emphasizes the need to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest, which influences how and when one travels. Furthermore, Acts 1:12 describes the disciples’ return to Jerusalem after Jesus’ ascension. They must make the journey, but they do so with respect for the Sabbath. This demonstrates that the disciples were aware of Jewish traditions and Sabbath regulations, including travel restrictions.

We have neither word nor sign from him.

Good advice is expensive.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** This saying means that good advice is often hard to come by, and that sometimes you have to pay a lot or go out of your way to get valuable counsel. *Implication:* It emphasizes the value of wisdom and advice, and that it is not always self-evident. **Origin:** *Provenance:* The saying comes from Dutch and has its origins in folk wisdom. *Period:* It is an old saying that has been in use for a long time, but its exact origin is difficult to trace. **Author:** *Unknown*: The saying has no specific author. It is part of Dutch folk culture and has been passed down through time.

Quintessence

Draw the line.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To set boundaries, establish restrictions, or limits.
**Origin:** The expression derives from the metaphor of placing posts and fences to demarcate a certain area. This symbolizes the idea of demarcating what is and isn’t permitted. There is no specific author associated with this expression, as it is folk wisdom that has evolved into the English language over time. The use of such expressions is often anonymous and culturally determined.

Oh dear!

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** The use of this exclamation in the English language can have a deeper cultural and emotional meaning related to the themes of strength, downfall, and pity. **Origin:** No specific author or work can be linked to it. It is representative of the richness of the English language and its ability to express feelings.

He knows the ropes.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Someone is clever or skilled and well-equipped to take care of themselves. It indicates that someone is capable of solving problems or managing situations well. **Origin:** This expression is a typical English saying. It refers to the ability to perform a profession effectively. *Author:* There is no specific author associated with this expression, as it is folk wisdom that has evolved over time into the English language. It is part of the English proverbs and sayings that are often used in everyday communication. *Additional Information:* These types of expressions are often used in conversation to emphasize someone’s abilities or cleverness. It is a positive comment that acknowledges a person’s skills.

It weighs heavily on his mind.

Image – Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Someone feels weighed down by a certain situation, problem or emotion. It can refer to feelings of guilt, regret or sadness that someone finds difficult to deal with.

He’s got a screw loose.

Afbeelding: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** This expression is used to say that someone is behaving strangely or illogically. It implies that the person is out of their mind, or that something is not quite right in their thinking or behavior. **Origin:** The expression comes from the metaphor of a machine that malfunctions. There is no specific author; it is an idiomatic expression in the English language.

To name and shame.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To publicly criticize, expose, or expose someone.

To say yes to everything.

Photo: justlive. **Meaning:** To approve of everything without objection, to agree uncritically, to accept everything someone says or decides.

Fools don’t blush.

Send someone packing.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To abruptly dismiss or fire someone.

Good fortune is fragile.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** The core meaning: happiness is fragile and short-lived; what you have now can be lost in an instant, just as glass can fall from your hands and shatter into shards. Usage often carries a mix of sobriety and caution: enjoy, but be aware that prosperity is not self-evident and not lasting. **Origin:** (More commonly used as loosely formulated wisdom than as a fixed expression.)

Visit begets visit.

Photo: Andrea-Wahl. **Meaning:** those who frequently visit others will in turn be visited themselves. **Source:** Found in older English proverb collections, but no longer in common use.

A despised torch/firebrand.

Photo: huiverinkt. **Meaning:** The metaphor refers to something or someone who is initially despised or underestimated, but later turns out to have a major (often devastating) impact. It can refer to a seemingly insignificant person or idea that ultimately has major consequences, or to a minor conflict that escalates into a huge argument or war. The ‘torch’ here represents a source of strife or destruction that is initially despised but can spread quickly. **Note:** This is not a standard English saying. The expression occurs in scholarly or literary contexts, especially in older translations of Horace or in theological commentaries on the Book of Job. It is therefore an isolated image known to classicists and theologians, but not in everyday colloquial language.

Life is a seesaw.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Life has its ups and downs; good fortune and misfortune constantly alternate. **Origin:** Proverb, author: anonymous.

Every flow must have its ebb.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Entrepreneurs often experience good times and bad times. Just as the tides ebb and flow in a natural rhythm, trade experiences periods of prosperity and adversity. Working capital and turnover rise and fall, much like the ebb and flow of the sea.
**Origin:** An old proverb with its roots in maritime history. For seafaring trading nations, the metaphor of ebb and flow was an obvious comparison for the changing fortunes of trade.

Fortune is like the tide.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Those who are rich can become poor, and those who are poor now may be wealthy later. **Origin:** Old proverb, already in use in the 17th–18th centuries. It fits perfectly within the type of moralising proverbs that were popular at the time.

Caught in the act.

Image Peter van Geest AI. Meaning: To be discovered while doing something wrong, illegal, or forbidden—typically at the exact moment it’s happening, leaving no room for denial. **Origin:** The phrase has legal roots dating back to Latin: **“in flagrante delicto”** (literally “while the crime is blazing”), which referred to catching someone in the very commission of a crime. The English expression “caught in the act” emerged as a more straightforward translation of this concept. The phrase became common in English legal contexts by the 17th century, where being caught “in the act” provided the strongest possible evidence of guilt—there were witnesses to the crime itself, not just circumstantial evidence.

He/she had it coming.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Someone deserved what happened to them, especially when it is something negative – it was their own fault.

He can’t tell A from B.

Photo: Gerd-Altmann. **Meaning:** To be completely ignorant, usually meaning unable to read or completely illiterate. It is sometimes also used more broadly to describe someone who has absolutely no understanding of something. **Origin:** Originates from Early Modern Dutch (16th–17th century). At that time, the alphabet was often cited to indicate illiteracy. Someone who didn’t even know which letter was “A” and which was “B” was practically synonymous with illiteracy. Not an individual author, it originated in common parlance and was subsequently incorporated into old lexicons and proverb books.

To spoon-feed someone.

Photo: weemoed. **Meaning:** When someone does not understand something obvious and you therefore have to explain it to them very clearly and patiently. **Origin:** The saying is a traditional vernacular proverb with roots in Northern Europe and is not the creation of any one specific author.

Imbued with it from childhood.

Image: freepik.com. **Meaning:** That someone has acquired, been taught or learned something from their earliest childhood – as if it were absorbed with their mother’s milk. It refers to the period when babies are not yet able to feed themselves and are fed by breastfeeding or spoon-feeding. Figuratively, it means that something is so deeply rooted that it is an inseparable part of someone’s thinking or character. **Origin:** lies in the vernacular of the 17th-18th centuries, where the physical image of a baby being fed with breast milk or a spoon was transferred to the mental process of early conditioning.

To tilt at windmills.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Fighting imaginary enemies. Putting energy into an unattainable or pointless struggle. Seeing a problem that does not really exist. Idealism that clashes with reality. It is often used to describe someone who works hard against something that cannot be changed, or who misjudges the problem.
**Origin:** Comes directly from the famous Spanish novel Don Quixote (El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes, published in 1605 (part I) and 1615 (part II). In one of the most famous scenes, Don Quixote sees windmills in the distance and thinks they are giants. He charges at them, gets tangled up in the blades and is knocked over.

To get on someone’s nerves.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** This expression means that someone or something irritates, annoys or makes you nervous. It expresses that someone’s behaviour or a situation makes you feel agitated or tense. **Origin:** This is a popular expression that has grown organically in colloquial language and comes from 19th-century medical science, when a lot of research was being done on the nervous system and how nerves work. At that time, it was realised that nerves could literally be irritated or stimulated, leading to physical and mental reactions.

To live on one’s nerves.

Photo: Gerd Altmann. Gerd Altmann. **Meaning:** It describes a state in which someone is nervous, tense, overstimulated, or on the verge of a nervous breakdown. As if the nervous system is the only thing keeping you going—no relaxation, no buffer, just raw nerves. **Origin:** It’s one of those typically Dutch idiomatic constructs that doesn’t have a specific author; it developed as a colloquialism during the 19th and 20th centuries. Idioms often grow like mosses: slowly, wildly, and without a clear inventor.

It gets on my nerves.

Photo: Pete Linforth. **Meaning:** To be nervous, tense or irritable.
**Origin:** The saying dates back to the 19th century, a time when the word “nerves” was still used quite literally: the idea that emotions, tensions or overstimulation were located in the “nerves”. In old medical and colloquial language, any form of nervousness or psychological tension was attributed to “the nerves”. There is no specific author; it is a colloquial expression that developed organically in Dutch.

A lot of water will have to flow under the bridge before…

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** A lot of time will pass before something happens, or many developments will have to take place before it happens.
The imagery is simple: it refers to a large, constantly flowing river. When you say that a lot of water still has to flow, you mean that a lot of time has to pass, just like the water that flows incessantly and never stops.
**Origin:** The saying comes from popular parlance and dates back to the 19th century, possibly even earlier.
This is similar to old proverbs that link time and rivers (as in several European languages). Rivers traditionally serve as a metaphor for the passage of time.

Killing time.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Doing things to make waiting for something to happen faster or more pleasant. It therefore implies passing the time or bridging the gap, not doing something essential.
**Origin:** Comes from general European usage and is not linked to any one author. It is an idiomatic expression that has been used in various languages since the 16th–17th century. The origin lies in the metaphor of time being represented as something alive or active that you can “kill”, i.e. eliminate or render harmless. In reality, it means letting time pass without purpose.

Being thrown in at the deep end.

Photo: projectsucces. **Meaning:** It is used to describe someone who is placed in a difficult situation without preparation or opportunity to adjust, such as an unexpected assignment, situation at work, or other life circumstances. **Origin:** The expression comes from the metaphor of someone being thrown into water without knowing how to swim, immediately getting into trouble. The image can be traced back to situations in which someone is suddenly confronted with an unfamiliar or complex situation. It is not a quote from a specific author, but an idiomatic expression that has been used in Dutch for a long time. It has no known origin linked to a person, but is rather a piece of folk wisdom and imagery.

To have bread on the table.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Earning enough to live on; securing one’s livelihood.

To water something down.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To compromise, concede, or moderate your demands in order to reach agreement.
You “dilute” your own wishes, as it were, so that cooperation or peace becomes possible. **Origin:** Traditional folk saying. The expression comes from the ancient European drinking culture.
In classical antiquity (particularly among the Greeks and later also the Romans), wine was almost always diluted with water. Drinking pure wine was considered uncivilised or unhealthy.
Someone who was willing to add water to their wine showed that they were willing to keep the peace, avoid conflict or take a more moderate stance. In the Middle Ages and early modern times, this imagery remained: adding water to wine weakens the taste → figuratively: you weaken your position to make it acceptable to others.

It all went off the rails.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Something goes wrong, ends badly, or a plan fails. It expresses that a process or collaboration is not running smoothly and has stalled.

He doesn’t know the first thing about it.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** He doesn’t know anything, he’s a blockhead.

The straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** It refers to that one last minor event that makes a situation unbearable, after many other problems or irritations have already accumulated. It emphasises that it is not necessarily about that last event itself – which is often trivial – but about the cumulative burden that preceded it. **Origin:** The proverbial expression has its roots in an ancient Arabic saying. The earliest known version comes from a collection of Arabic proverbs from the 9th or 10th century, which states: ‘the last straw breaks the camel’s back.’

To pull someone over the table.

Image: Peter van Geest AI . **Meaning:** Used in English to indicate that you are pressuring someone to accept something – for example, an agreement, a decision or an obligation. It often implies a certain amount of coercion or intimidation: you literally or figuratively “pull” the other person across the table so that he or she has no choice but to go along with you. **Origin:** The expression has its roots in 18th/19th century commercial and legal practice. At that time, contracts and promissory notes were often laid out on a large table. If a debtor or trading partner refused to sign, they could be physically dragged across the table and forced to sign the document. The image of someone being literally dragged across the table later became a metaphor for any form of coercion or tough negotiation. There is no individual author or inventor of the saying; it is an idiomatic expression that developed organically within English commercial and legal traditions. It is therefore a piece of folk wisdom with no specific source.

To put obstacles in someone’s way.

Photo: Hans. **Meaning:** It refers to actively preventing someone from accomplishing or achieving something.

Swear by all that is holy.

Photo: FB. **Meaning:** To assert something very firmly and emphatically, often to dispel doubt.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** You only know who your true friends are when you are going through difficult times. In times of prosperity, there are often many people who pretend to be friends, but in difficult circumstances, only sincere friends remain. **Origin:** The saying has been in use in Dutch since the 16th century and appears in old collections of proverbs, such as those by P. C. Hooft and Jacob Cats. However, the idea itself is even older and dates back to classical antiquity. Similar statements already existed in the works of the Greek philosopher Euripides (5th century BC) and the Roman writer Cicero, who wrote in his work Laelius de amicitia (On Friendship) that true friendship is especially evident in difficult times.

To be thick as thieves.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** They are very good, close friends — people who get along very well and do a lot together. **Origin:** The word “thick” is not used literally here (so it has nothing to do with body weight), but in a figurative sense, as an intensifier.
In older forms of English (and also in other Germanic languages), dik often meant close, strong or intense. This meaning of “dik” as “close or strong” can already be found in texts from the 17th century.

Can’t make heads or tails of it.

Photo: perplexity. **Meaning:** Something has no clear beginning or end, making it difficult to understand or follow. There is no logic or structure in the subject being discussed, making it impossible to make sense of it.

To be at one’s wit’s end.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Not knowing what to do; seeing no way out; being exhausted (physically, mentally or in terms of ideas).
**Origin:** The expression comes from Medieval Latin education.
At the time when Latin was the language of science and education (the Middle Ages until the 18th century), it literally meant: someone has reached the point where he no longer knows what to say in Latin — so he has no more words, his knowledge is exhausted. Later it was used figuratively: someone has no more resources or ideas left — he is “at the end of his Latin”.

A prophet for profit.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** A “bread-eating prophet” is someone who gives predictions or advice, but does so for personal gain—for example, money, prestige, or advantage. It therefore expresses distrust of someone who poses as a wise man or visionary, but in reality primarily earns their living by talking. **Origin:** A clear biblical origin, namely in the book of Amos 7:12–15. There, Amos is confronted by Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, who accuses him of prophesying for money or bread.

To swear by heaven and earth.

To be in a foul mood.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. To be melancholic, to feel bad.

Love doesn’t pay the bills.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Love alone does not provide warmth if there is no food, shelter or resources. The saying therefore emphasises the down-to-earth, realistic attitude to life of the region’s inhabitants: feelings are nice, but practical matters also count.

If you play with fire, you’ll get burned.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Stay away from danger, or you will be harmed. It emphasizes the principle of cause and effect. Origin: roverb from the 16th or 17th century. It is an anonymous folk saying; no known individual author can be attributed to it. Such wisdom originated and spread through oral tradition and was later recorded in collections of proverbs.

If you tease a dog, expect to get bitten.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** He who provokes another should not be surprised if they bite back. In other words: those who do evil must accept the consequences—you get what you provoke. The saying teaches responsibility for one’s own actions: if you hurt, provoke, or provoke someone, you cannot complain when they react. **Origin:** No specific author is known; it is a folk saying that was passed down orally in the regional language culture. Such sayings often originate from a time when people were much closer to nature and farm life.

Better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** By speaking thoughtfully, cautiously and respectfully, one maintains a good reputation, whereas speaking without thinking can lead to a bad reputation. **Origin:** No specific information or known author has been found regarding the exact origin and author, which is often the case with regional proverbs: they are usually traditional folk wisdom that has been passed down orally within communities, without an exact creator.

Time flies when you’re having fun.

Image: Peter van Geest AI.
**Meaning:** The saying emphasises the transience of life and the need to use time wisely. **Origin:** Virgil (c. 29 BC)

Time Flies.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** It means, ironically, that time passes quickly and attempts to stop it are futile (and often comical).

Take a step back to see the bigger picture.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Truly good insight arises when one distances oneself, puts things into perspective, and puts things into perspective.

To take to one’s heels.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. Meaning: To go away, to remove oneself quickly.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** The saying emphasizes that willpower and determination are the key to success. It serves as a moral or motivational message: if you are strong enough in your will, you will find a solution or way to achieve your goal. It is often used to encourage people not to give up, even when circumstances are difficult.
**Origin:** This expression dates back to the 17th century. The earliest known version comes from the Latin work Jacula Prudentum (1640) by the English poet and preacher George Herbert, which states:
“To him that wills, ways are not wanting.”
This literally means: “For him who wills, ways are not wanting.”
The modern form of the saying, as we know it today, appeared in English-language publications around the early 19th century.

To be on top of the world.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To feel extremely happy, successful, or proud—like nothing could bring you down. It’s that moment when everything seems to be going your way. **Origin:** Anonymous folk speech; it has no known single author and simply grew out of everyday English.

To reinvent the wheel.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Someone wastes time and effort on something that has already been well invented or developed by others. **Origin:** The expression is taken from a metaphor: the wheel is one of the oldest and most important human inventions. It is not an old folk saying, but probably originated in the 19th century, mainly in business, technical and educational contexts adopted from English.

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. Meaning: This saying emphasizes that someone does something with feeling, conviction, and passion. It’s the opposite of doing something “half-heartedly” or “dutifully.” **Origin:** The phrase comes from ancient religious language, both Latin and the Bible (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37).

It’s not what you do, but how you do it.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** It expresses a positive attitude to life: simplicity, level-headedness and appreciation for effort over results. It is not about what you do, but how you do it — with conviction, enthusiasm and dedication.

The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** It teaches us that a lifetime of trust and reputation can be lost in an instant through one ill-considered action. It is a plea for constant integrity and awareness.

A broken vase can be mended, but the cracks will always show.

Image: fbtwentsespreuken. **Meaning:** Once something is broken, it can never be completely repaired. There will always be something (a “shard”) missing or flawed.

I can’t see the wood for the trees.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Being so focused on the small details or individual parts of a situation that you lose sight of the bigger picture, the underlying meaning or the ultimate outcome.

It’s right under your nose.

Image: Peter van Geest AI . **Meaning:** Being close to the solution or goal, but not seeing it or taking action to achieve it.

Between a rock and a hard place.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** One must choose between two equally unattractive or disastrous options: whatever you choose, it is bad. It indicates a dilemma with no good outcome.

To eat humble pie.

Photo: Karl Muscat. **Meaning:** Showing humility after making a mistake.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** 1. Moral/ethical: One should not see, hear or speak evil – i.e. one should not engage in bad deeds or negativity. 2. Pragmatic/ironic: Pretending not to see, hear or speak in order to avoid problems – i.e. deliberately ignoring evil or remaining aloof.
**Origin:** The saying comes from Japan, where it was associated with a sculpture at the Tōshō-gū shrine in Nikkō as early as the 17th century. There are three wood carvings of monkeys depicting the rule.

To have blinkers on.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To have a limited view, to want to see nothing else.

Where the buses don’t run.

Photo: Norine Holguin. **Meaning:** Used to emphasize a sense of loneliness, isolation, or abandonment, both literally and figuratively. Origin: The image is very apt: A deserted place, where no public transportation is available,

In the middle of nowhere.

Photo by Alec Favale. **Meaning:** Used to emphasize a sense of loneliness, isolation, or abandonment, both literally and figuratively. **Origin:** First used in England: “In the middel of nowhere” (19th century, circa 1848).

No-man’s-land.

Photo: Eirik Skarstein. **Meaning:** Area that is not claimed or controlled by anyone. **Origin:** German (¨niemandsland”) military expression referring to the unpunished strip between two enemy trenches, first used in the First World War.

Just wait and see.

Image: Jeanette Atherton AI. **Meaning:** Adopting a wait-and-see attitude; first seeing how a situation develops before taking action yourself.

Too much familiarity breeds contempt.

Photo: Anemone123. **Meaning:** Too much friendship (intrusiveness) can actually damage the friendship.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Friendship does not suffer when people see each other infrequently; on the contrary, absence can strengthen friendship.

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy.

Photo: Roberto Bernardi. **Meaning:** ‘Sowing with tears’ refers to periods of hardship, sorrow, hard work or suffering. ‘Reaping with joy’ represents reaping the fruits of that effort—joy, success, or reward that follows a difficult time. **Origin:** The Bible, specifically from Psalm 126:5 ‘Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.’

Vale of tears.

Photo: Mike Bowman. **Meaning:** The saying refers to a period of great sorrow, suffering or hardship in someone’s life. **Origin:** The Bible, specifically Psalm 84:6. The original text refers to ‘the valley of Bacha’ or ‘Bakadal’, which literally means ‘the valley of weeping’. The word “Bacha” comes from Hebrew and means ‘to weep’ or ‘to mourn’.

He was crying buckets.

Photo: Marie Michele. **Meaning:** A grand gesture of sorrow, many and large tears of grief.

Good fences make good neighbors.

Photo: Roy Burl. **Meaning:** Clear agreements and boundaries actually lead to better relationships, clear financial agreements ensure that friendships are maintained.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Mixing money and friendship can easily lead to problems.

When poverty comes in at the door, love flies out of the window.

You are known by the company you keep.

Photo: Erika Hörner. **Meaning:** A person’s character is reflected in his choice of friends.

Experience is the best teacher.

Photo: spacephotographer2000. **Meaning:** Practical experience is more valuable than theoretical knowledge.

Old love does not rust.

Photo: Cocy Bret. **Meaning:** The saying means that true love, even if it’s from the past, never completely fades. The image of “rusting” suggests that love, unlike metal, is not affected by time. The origins likely lie in folk wisdom from the Low Countries and probably date back to the late Middle Ages or early modern period.

Still wet behind the ears.

Photo: Engin Akyurt. **Meaning:** Very young and unervassing, literally “just born.” **Origin:**
The image derives from a newborn child whose amniotic fluid (or the white vernix) behind the ears hasn’t yet dried—a spot that, like the armpits and groin, stays moist for a while. A Dutch reference dates back to 1612: the Amsterdam writer Gerbrand Bredero has a character say in his comedy:
“You’re barely dry behind your ears, and you let them cheat so young?”

Easier said than done.

Photo: 冬城. **Meaning:** That something seems simple on paper or in words, but is difficult to implement in practice.

Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight; red sky in morning, shepherd’s warning.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Photo: Viktor Talashuk. **Meaning:** Rumours rarely come out of nowhere: if there is “smoke” (a suspicion, a story), there is usually a grain of truth – “fire” – behind it.

A piece of cake.

Photo: Kei Therapeutic Art. **Meaning:** That’s simple, easy.

To pack up one’s traps.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** To leave quickly. **Origin:** Artists and travelers rolled their belongings in a rush mat; when they had to move, they literally packed their bags.

Revenge is sweet.

Image: Guren: The Thirdeye. **Meaning:** The saying expresses that obtaining revenge or retribution can give a sense of satisfaction. **Origin:** It cannot be attributed to one specific author. The idiom is very old and appears in various forms – it even occurs in Homer’s Iliad. It is known from Shakespeare’s work, among others, in Titus Andronicus and Othello.

Actions speak louder than words.

Photo: Brigitte Werner. **Meaning:** Integrity: aligning your words and actions.

To bend over backwards.

Image: Olena. **Meaning:** It expresses extreme physical or mental effort, often to achieve a difficult goal or deal with an emergency. **Origin:** A phrase that has appeared in all sorts of contexts since the 19th century—from newspapers to sports reports and from novels to political speeches.

Be thankful for what you’ve got.

Photo: Gerd Altmann. **Meaning:** Be content with what you have. **Origin:** This saying appears in many languages as old folk wisdom.

Practice makes perfect.

Photo: van Wal. **Meaning:** By practising a lot, you eventually become proficient in an art or skill. **Origin:** Classic English expression that has been used for centuries. It is a literal translation of the Latin ‘ars est exercendo’.

Crime doesn’t pay.

Photo: boekenplatform.nl. **Meaning:** Crime ultimately leads to nothing. Origin: Based on the message in Romans 6:23: ‘For the wages of sin is death.’

We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Photo: Mohamed Arafath. **Meaning:** We’ll see how it turns out when the time comes.

True friends are the ones you never see – they’re right behind you.

Walls have ears.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Be careful what you say, because someone might always be listening in.

Beat around the bush.

Afbeelding: taptap. **Meaning:** To be irrelevant or to give evasive answers. **Origin:** This expression originates from bird hunting in the Middle Ages, where assistants literally beat the bushes to flush out birds for the hunters, but often did so in a cumbersome, indirect manner.

A bad workman blames his tools.

Photo: Menno de Jong. **Meaning:** Not to blame oneself for failure, but to blame the means.

Little pitchers have big/great ears.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Children hear more than you think. “Be careful what you say when the children are around.” **Origin:** Literal translation of the Old English “Little pitchers have great ears.” This English version already appears in a 1546 book of proverbs by John Heywood.

Every bird sings according to the shape of its beak – figuratively speaking: Everyone speaks and acts in a manner appropriate to their nature, upbringing, or talent.

Photo: Rezsö Terbe. **Meaning:** Every bird sings according to the shape of its beak – figuratively speaking: Everyone speaks and acts in a manner appropriate to their nature, upbringing, or talent.

To give something a facelift.

Image: Suman Mahara. **Meaning:** To give something a different, new look.

When tha cat is away, the mice will play.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Without supervision, people or animals behave more freely and disobediently.

The grass is always greener on the other side (of the fence).

Image: Peter van Geest. **Meaning:** It concerns the dissatisfaction with what you have and the illusion about what someone else has.

The best things in life are free.

Photo: Amazing Nature. **Meaning:** It refers to things like: love, friendship, nature, health, sunlight and air.

One man’s meat is another man’s poison.

Photo: Chil Vera. **Meaning:** What works out well for one person may have negative consequences for another.

Well Begun is half done.

Photo: hoog.design. **Meaning:** A good start is crucial for success.

If the shoe fits, wear it.

Photo: congerdesign. **Meaning:** if something applies to you, you have to accept it.

On the spot.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Photo: Maiko Valentino. Meaning: The universal wisdom about the balance between work and happiness.

The greatest loneliness is to have no true friend.

Photo: Chu Vlêt Dôn. Meaning: Superficial contacts sometimes make loneliness worse than being completely alone; true friendship is rare and valuable.

Rolling on the floor laughing.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** Uncontrollable laughter of joy.

Actions speak louder than words.

Image: DoodleDrive. **Meaning:** Don’t just talk about what you want to do, take action.

Under the weather.

Photo: PublicDomainPictures. **Meaning:** Not feeling well.

Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile.

Image: Peter van Geest AI – pixlr. **Meaning:** Someone who takes advantage of your generosity or accommodating nature. If you grant such a person a small favour or give them a little leeway, they will immediately try to take advantage of it.

Honesty is the best policy.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. Meaning: Honesty and sincerity pay off best in the long run, even though lying or cheating may sometimes seem to bring short-term benefits. Origin: It appears in various English proverb collections from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Never judge a book by its cover.

Foto: mschiffm. **Meaning:** It is important not to judge someone or something too quickly based solely on appearance or first impressions.

No news, good news.

Photo: Wolfgang Borchers. **Meaning:** If you don’t hear anything about a certain situation – especially about someone who is travelling or undergoing medical treatment, for example – this usually means that everything is going well. After all, bad news often spreads faster than good news.

Misfortunes never come singly.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** When something goes wrong, other things often go wrong during the same period. It suggests that setbacks follow each other in quick succession.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Photo: pexels. Meaning: Despite a rough, unfriendly exterior, someone actually has a good heart.

De pot verwijt de ketel dat hij zwart ziet.

Photo: saniweb.nl. **Meaning:** Someone accuses another person of doing something that he or she does as well.

Seize the day!

Photo: Petra. **Meaning:** The metaphor of ‘picking’ (as in picking fruit before it becomes overripe) is universally understandable, which is why many languages have developed a similar expression. The underlying idea—to appreciate the moment and not wait for a better time—is a human wisdom that transcends cultures.

To thoroughly investigate.

To be fed up with something.

Image: Amy AI -pixabay. **Meaning:** To be tired of something.

Strike while the iron is still hot.

Photo: Jean Louis Tosque. **Meaning:** Acting at the right moment, when conditions are optimal for success. **Origin:** Derived from blacksmithing, where iron is best worked when it is red-hot – once it cools, it becomes hard and difficult to shape.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Photo: BuyMeACoffee. **Meaning:** Prevent problems by spreading risks.

False friends are worse than open enemies.

Photo: Sammy-Sander. **Significance:** A friendship that does not turn out to be mutual is a big disappointment.

Short reckonings make long friends.

Photo: Niek Verlaan. **Meaning:** On prompt payment of debts, one remains good friends.

Something is better than nothing.

Photo: Gerd Altmann. Meaning: A partial solution or a small advantage is still better than having nothing at all.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Dot the i’s and cross the t’s.

Photo: beauty of nature. Meaning: Being very precise in reasoning; Prescribing in detail; Saying exactly what matters.

The ends justify the means.

Image: Master Tux. **Meaning:** Concerns the fundamental question: Is it acceptable to use morally questionable methods if the end goal is good? **Origin:** The concept became best known through Machiavelli’s work ‘The Prince’ (Il Principe), although he did not use this exact formulation.

You reap what you sow.

Photo: Philippe Delavie. **Meaning:** law of cause and effect.

What goes around, comes around.

Photo: omroepfryslan. **Meaning:** Those who attack someone should count on them to defend themselves.

It is no use crying over spilt milk.

Photo: Anita Jankovic. Meaning: One must accept the consequences of what one has done.

Half a loaf is better than none.

Photo: Renato Canepa. **Meaning:** Something is better than nothing

It’s raining cats and dogs.

Image: Eva Mouton AI. **Meaning:** Very bad weather.

It’s raining buckets.

Photo: tenor.com. **Meaning:** very heavy rainfall.

Appearances can be deceiving.

To slip through someone’s fingers like an eel.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** 1. one can never get him to speak. 2. he is so handy that he knows how to get out of anything.

One bad apple spoils the barrel.

Photo: Jan Temmel, **Meaning 1:** The reputation of a group can sometimes be damaged by the behaviour of one person in that group, the rotten apple One rotten apple in the basket disgraces all the cool fruit. **Meaning 2:** Evil is contagious, one bad influence can lead others down the wrong path.

Silence is the true friend that never betrays.

Photo: Voy Zan. **Significance:** In many cultures, silence between friends is seen as a sign of comfort and trust, rather than discomfort.

All that glitters is not gold.

Photo: Istara. **Origin:** Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (1596)

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

All good things come to an end.

All’s well that end well.

All roads lead to Rome.

Photo: Gerd Altmann. **Meaning:** There are different ways of achieving the same goal, or different approaches that can ultimately lead to the same outcome.
**The origin l**ies in the literal truth of the statement during the heyday of the Roman Empire. Rome was the political, economic and cultural centre of the empire, and indeed there was an extensive network of roads connecting all corners of the empire to the capital.

Make a fool of oneself.

A man’s home is his castle.

A change of heart.

It’s all Greek to me.

Photo: Stéphane Chadourne. **Meaning:** I don’t understand any of it.

The wish is father to the thought.

He who laughs last, laughs best.

That’s where the shoe pinches.

Image: Peter van Geest AI. **Meaning:** “that is where the problem lies” or “that is the crux of the matter”.It refers to the point where something hurts, causes difficulty or does not function properly.
The **origin** of this saying lies in its literal meaning: when a shoe is too tight or does not fit properly, it wriggles in certain places and causes pain or discomfort. This physical experience was transferred to abstract situations to indicate exactly where the difficulty or problem is.

Every begin is difficult.

Still waters run deep.

Photo: Claudia Borchert. **Meaning:** People who are quiet and say little often have profound thoughts or know more than they let on. Also warns that you should be careful with people who seem innocent at first glance – they may be more dangerous or clever than they appear.

Patience is a virtue.

The cherry on the top.

Photo: Jesus Trujillo – pixabay. Meaning: crowning, culmination.

Having the wind at your back.

Photo: runnersworld.com. Meaning: prosperity, being lucky.

Seeing the glass as half-full or half-empty.

Photo: medi-sfeer.be. **Meaning:** optimism versus pessimism.

Being all thumbs.

Photo: dictionary.langeek.co. **Meaning:** To be very clumsy, especially in manual work

Let sleeping dogs lie.

Photo: Lutz. **Meaning:** You should not arouse suspicion. Addressing circumstances, incidents or agencies whose naming might attract the unwanted attention of third parties. **Origin:** After the vicious watchdog you’d rather not wake up when he’s sleeping.

To have a bone to pick with someone.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org. **Meaning:** To have to settle an argument with someone; to have to give someone a piece of one’s mind

Losing track.

Photo: boschwegsetoneelgroep.nl. **Meaning:** not knowing how to proceed. **Origin:** Hunter’s expression.

You must say what is on your mind.

He does it with a bleeding heart.

Image: Ivana Tomášková – AI. **Meaning:** doing it with sadness or reluctance.

The sands are running out.

Painting by Salvador Dali. **Meaning:** time flies by

Not have a red cent.

Photo: wikiimages. **Meaning:** To be of very low value.

Sitting on his lazy ass.

Photo: kneelinofficechairs.com. **Meaning:** doing nothing, idling.

In half a shake.

Photo: pixabay. **Meaning:** In no time. **Origin:** Alluding to the hand movements of magicians.

Throw in the towel.

Photo: pokernews. **Meaning:** to give up. **Origin:** Borrowed from boxing. When the boxing trainer throws in a towel, it is considered giving up and admitting defeat.

Have clean hands.

Photo: Manuel Dario Fuentes Hernández. **Meaning:** to declare oneself innocent (regardless of whether it is true or not). **Origin:** From the Bible (Matt 27:24), where Pilate had Jesus crucified against his inner conviction, and in a Psalm of David (Ps 26:6).

One hand washes the other.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

To catch someone on the wrong foot.

Photo: patch.com. **Meaning:** to mislead, deceive someone.

To have a frog in the troath.

Image: robscholtenmuseum. **Meaning:** having difficulty speaking. **Origin:** This seemingly nonsensical phrase comes from the medical term ranula, a growth in the human throat that resembles a frog when it swells.

The penny has dropped.

Photo: Maria Kray. **Meaning:** Someone finally understood after serious difficulties and long explanations. **Origin:** In vending machines, the coin has to fall into the slot before they start working. Sometimes that process needs some not-so-soft persuasion.

To hear the grass grow.

Photo: Heri Santoso. **Meaning:** It is so still or quiet that one would be able to hear even the tiniest, imperceptible sounds.

To bite the dust.

Photo: pixabay. **Meaning:** To perish, to die **Origin:** from the language of soldiers. Heavily wounded soldiers literally bit the grass in pain.

To have your head in the clouds.

Photo: Adam Pizurny. **Meaning:** Daydreaming

Don’t make a fuss!

Photo: Mariusz Prusaczyk. **Meaning:** Don’t make a trammel

Let bygones by bygones.

Photo by awkwarddness.blogspot.com. **Meaning:** To forgive someone for something done or for a disagreement and to forget about it.

Almsgiving never made any man poor.

Photo: aforisticamente.com. **Meaning:** You don’t become poor if you give alms. **Origin:** Proverbs 28:27 ‘He who gives to the poor will not lack anything’.

Follow in someone’s footsteps.

Photo: modi74. **Meaning:** following the path of the predecessor.

To get cold feet.

Photo: broavloerisolatie. **Meaning:** Waiting for a long time, hesitating, getting scared, giving up on a plan. **Origin:** If you wait long or in vain, you often get cold feet.

To put a flea in someone’s ear.

Image: Peter van Geest – AI. **Meaning:** Making someone experience prolonged turmoil with a message or an idea.

To kill two birds with one stone.

Image: evilenenglish. Meaning: achieve two things at once with one action.

Meaning: half-hearted, belongs nowhere. Origin: The idiom originated during the Reformation, when people wanted to denounce fickle people who were unsure whether they wanted to remain Catholic or become Protestants.

Photo: marketresponse. **Meaning:** half-hearted, belongs nowhere. **Origin:** The idiom originated during the Reformation, when people wanted to denounce fickle people who were unsure whether they wanted to remain Catholic or become Protestants.

Get one’s fingers burnt.

Image: Peter van Geest – AI. **Meaning:** to suffer harm, to have a painful experience. **Origin:** From the fable ‘The Monkey and the Cat’ by Jean de la Fontaine. A cat and a monkey, a pair of crooks, see chestnuts being roasted in the coals. The cat takes the hot chestnuts out of the fire and burns its paws, while the monkey eats the chestnuts alone, without burning himself or sharing them with the cat, as previously agreed. The story shows how a situation is exploited at the expense of others. The idiom entered the German language during the period of French occupation when a number of expressions and loanwords from the French language were adopted into German.

Be steady as a rock.

Photo: proartspb. **Meaning:** Someone who is not thrown off course by anything, steadfast and reliable.

Just hanging out….

Be like a bull in a china shop.

Photo: loc.gov. **Meaning:** having no regard for sensitivities. Being boorish and untactful.

Burying one’s head in the sand.

Photo: evangelinar. **Meaning:** Not wanting to see the truth or danger.

To do some frank talking.

Tell someone the unvarnished truth.

Thwarting someones plans.

Photo by Hans. **Meaning:** Obstructing someone.

To swear stone and bone.

Photo by securitymanagement. **Origin:** The expression is often traced back to medieval oath rituals on altar stones and relics (“leg” in the sense of bone), but it is more likely that it simply refers to the particular hardness of the items mentioned.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Off-the-cuff

Photo by skiddle. **Meaning:** Not prepared in advance; impromptu.

After a storm comes a calm.

Photo by s-usans-blog. **Meaning:** Things often improve after a difficult, chaotic, or stressful time.

The venom is in the tail.

To look for a needle in a haystack.

Photo by Dominika Roseclay. **Meaning:** Trying to do something impossible.

The wolf may lose his teeth but never his nature.

Photo by Wikikimages. **Meaning** ; You can never trust a bad person.

Speech is silver, silence is golden.

Photo by Jerzy Górecki . **Remark:** Originating in Arabic culture, it occurs in several languages.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

A bird cannot fly with one wing.

Photo by tumblr#outlouwpetegsc. Meaning: Figuratively it means: That one of something is not enough; one often needs more of it to do something well or to finish it. In a convivial or humorous context it is often used when someone has another drink.

He that stays in the valley, shall never get over the hill.

A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay. A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon. A swarm of bees in July is not worth a fly.

Make a mountain out of a molehill.

Photo by enge.com. **Meaning:** To exaggerate an insignificant thing immensely.

His heart sank into his boots.

Photo by lookatme.ru. **Meaning:** Someone became afraid of his own courage and abandoned his project

Was in the merry month of May when flowers were a bloomin’, sweet William on his death bed lay for the love of Barbara Allen.

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Pull somebody’s leg.

Photo by teclasap.com.br. Meaning: To deliberately mislead or ridicule someone. It expresses that you make someone believe something is true as a joke or a trick, when in fact it is not. Origin: An old, colloquial expression with no specific source or author.Put somebody on.

Compare apples and oranges.

Photo by istockphoto.com. Meaning: Comparing two completely different things.

To be at one’s wit’s end.

Photo by albawaba.com. Meaning: Not knowing anymore, not being able to go on.

April weather, rain and sunshine both together.

To give one’s two cents worth.

Foto door pknbierumholwierdekrewerd.nl. Meaning: Oftentimes used for someone who makes irrelevant and unqualified comments to everything.

You’re pulling my leg.

Photo by Dawin Rizzo. **Meaning:** You are joking

In the middle of nowhere.

As through the poplar’s gusty spire, the March wind sweeps and sings, I sit beside the hollow fire, and dream familiar things; Old memories wake, faint echoes make a murmur of dead springs.