Unpacking Common Trite Sayings: Their Origins and Meanings
Love is blind.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
When one door closes, another opens.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Actions speak louder than words.
The grass is always greener on the other side.
No pain, no gain.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Better safe than sorry.
Birds of a feather flock together.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
All’s well that ends well.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Beggars can’t be choosers.
Once bitten, twice shy.
Still waters run deep.
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Like father, like son.
Easier said than done.
Practice makes perfect.
The early bird catches the worm.
A penny saved is a penny earned.
Laughter is the best medicine.
Barking up the wrong tree
Bite off more than you can chew
Break a leg
Burst your bubble
Couch potato
Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Every cloud has a silver lining
Feeling under the weather
Hit the nail on the head
Kick the bucket
Kill two birds with one stone
Make a long story short
Once in a blue moon
Piece of cake
Spill the beans
The ball is in your court
The best of both worlds
The cat’s out of the bag
There’s no such thing as a free lunch
When pigs fly
You can’t judge a book by its cover
You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs
Your guess is as good as mine
Better late than never
Let sleeping dogs lie
You can’t have your cake and eat it too
Truth is stranger than fiction
Not my circus, not my monkeys
Cry over spilt milk.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
The early bird catches the worm.
Better late than never.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
Actions speak louder than words.
Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.
Good things come to those who wait.
Great minds think alike.
Slow and steady wins the race.
There’s no smoke without fire.
When it rains, it pours.
You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs.
Curiosity killed the cat.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Beggars can’t be choosers.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
All that glitters is not gold.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.