Search Results
Your search matched 37 entries.
aluchier v.trans.
Semantic labels: agricultural
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to plant, cultivate
prov.: (1171-74) Qui malvais arbre aluche, malvais fruit deit mangier 4820anguille s.
Semantic labels: ich., zool.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to hold an eel by the tail, i.e. not to have a proper hold on something
prov.: (s.xiiiin) Ki de mun (=woman’s) semblant mult se lue, Cil tent l’anguille dreit par la cue 1374aver 2 v.trans. v.intrans. v.refl. v.impers. v.aux. p.p. as a.
Semantic labels: costume, emotion, finan., law, mil., time
Usage labels: euph., exclam., fig., local, modal, prov., temporalCitations:
(nominalized second person plural) 'you will have' (as part of the proverb: One 'hold' is worth more than two 'you will haves', or a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush)
prov.: (c.1185) Meuz vaut un 'tien' que deus 'avraz' 1092bacon s.
Semantic labels: culin.
Usage labels: fig., name, prov.Citations:
flitch of bacon
prov.: (s.xii4/4) (prov.) Ja n’iert trové bacon en lit de guaignon 239
prov.: (c.1300) De chescun bacoun menee par miere ou par terre ii 2
prov.: (1309) Treis centz quarters de feves e de pois, Deus centz bacons i 70
to win the flitch (for living for a year and a day in complete marital harmony)
prov.: (1260-70) (If there is marital strife) Meus vaudreint descuplé (=separated) , Car il ne paient Dampne Dé. Pur ceo, poi de gent a custum Lealment gaynent le bacon 2410baston s.
Semantic labels: cosmet., decor., domestic, eccl., herald., implement, law, livestock, mil., occupation, sports, status, title, weapons
Usage labels: fig., name, prov.Citations:
to be hoist with one’s own petard
prov.: (1212) ja miez ne me poet vengier De soi li envious felon Qe soi tuer de son baston 220bel a. adv. s.
Semantic labels: kinship, law, meteo.
Usage labels: iron., name, politeness, prov.Citations:
to do well, be helpful (to)
prov.: (c.1165) Bele la me fai, bele la te ferai (‘scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’) 213.87blanc a. s.
Semantic labels: anat., archit., astron., beverage, bot., chess, colour, condim., culin., curr., eccl., finan., fruit, games, herald., ich., med., metal, meteo., monastic, oenol., pharm., status, toponym, trees, zool.
Usage labels: name, prov.Citations:
to change things round
prov.: (1160-74) S’il veent Richart auques de grant espoir Et la force le roi veissent dechaoir, Tost l’avroient torné et mis du blanc el noir i 106.2766boef s.
Semantic labels: bot., culin., herald., ich., livestock, mammals, zool.
Usage labels: name, prov.Citations:
God’s gifts have their drawbacks
prov.: (s.xiiiin) Or me dirrez cum ciw u borne: Issi me dune Deu boef par la corne 910bosoigne 1 s.
Semantic labels: law, mil.
Usage labels: euph., prov.Citations:
necessity knows no law, needs must
prov.: (1212) Mais veirement besoing n’a loi 8859
a friend in need is a friend indeed
prov.: (1113-19) Al busuin est truved L'ami e espruved 165
prov.: (s.xii3/4) Amis al besoing se descuevre 13busson s.
Semantic labels: bot., geog., trees
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
(= 'Half a loaf is better than no bread')
prov.: (s.xii4/4) Desoz petit boisson abri atent l’em 12.333chef s. a.
Semantic labels: agricultural, anat., bot., geog., herald., law, med., mil., status, textile, title, weapons
Usage labels: exclam., fig., prov., temporalCitations:
to put the cart before the horse
prov.: (s.xiiiin) Unc n’oi mes hoem si comencer Ki de la cue feist le chef 301
prov.: (c.1270) […] kar ici (=thus) freit il del chief la cuwe 266.c9coillour s.
Semantic labels: occupation, sports, tax
Usage labels: name, prov.Citations:
one who catches a ball
prov.: (s.xiv1/3) A bon coelleur vient sovent la pelote 423.10covenant 1 s.
Semantic labels: emotion, games, law
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
a promise is sacred
prov.: (c.1240) Cil respunt: ‘Covenant veint lei, Kant fere covent, jeo le otrei’ 29.73
prov.: (1311) covenaunt lei enfreynt Ed II x 179deinté s.
Semantic labels: culin., emotion
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
plenty is no dainty
prov.: (1354) en grante deyntee le deveroit hom tenir, car hom dist qe plenté n’est pas deynté 133escripe s.
Semantic labels: costume
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to be miserly, close-fisted
prov.: (1212) molt soi tient segur e sein Qui met [...] en s’escherpe la souriz [...] souriz en bourse est avarice qui plus nuist que nul autre vice 8797esveiller v.trans. v.intrans. v.refl. p.p. as a.
Semantic labels: emotion
Usage labels: fig., prov.Citations:
to let sleeping dogs lie, leave things as they are
prov.: (c.1400) Et si ensi soit que vous n’oiez nully parler de tielx matires, vous p[l]ese de tenir ceste lettre privee sanz moustrer, car nous ne vouldrons esveiller le chien que dort 115.64.80faillir v.trans. v.intrans. v.refl. v.impers. p.pr. as a. p.pr. as s. p.p. as a. p.p. as s. inf. as s.
Semantic labels: agricultural, finan., law, livestock, meteo.
Usage labels: also_fig., prov.Citations:
to slip between one's fingers (?)
prov.: (1267) Dunt c'est pitié e grant dolur, Ke si ordeinent lur amur Ke, mes ke l'en chante utre eus la saume, Deu lur faudra enmi la paume 7724
prov.: (1267) Mes le siecle si est tut lur saume Dunt chantent, ki faudra enmi la paume 12708faucon s.
Semantic labels: decor., falc., herald., mil., orn., weapons, zool.
Usage labels: name, prov.Citations:
very quickly, suddenly
prov.: (1280-1307) Ly roys Edward l'oÿt dire, se atyre vistement Aprocher a la dame cum falcoun a vent 400.1868ferir 1 v.trans. v.intrans. v.refl. p.pr. as a. p.p. as a. inf. as s.
Semantic labels: curr., emotion, equit., finan., insects, law, med., meteo., mil., music, pathol., ship.
Usage labels: fig., prov.Citations:
those who live by the sword shall die by the sword
prov.: (1415-17) Cil quy coveite a fereire ovesque le espeie, par le espeie il serra feru (D) 25.307
one who cannot see will stumble
prov.: (1212) Danz Piere, einsi fiert qui ne veit 18846
prov.: (c.1235) Cist se fert ki ne veit 1315festu 1 s.
Usage labels: prov.
Citations:
to make an elephant out of a mouse, exaggerate a small matter, overreact to something minor
prov.: (s.xiii2) ke ire ne cresse en haunge e faciez tref de un festu 187
to see the mote in one’s neighbour’s eye (but not the beam in one’s own)
prov.: (s.xiii2/4) Ke deit ke tu veis la festue En l’oil a tun frere [...]? 128vb23
prov.: (1323-25) Mais il est veir dit (qe multz des gentz scievent) mielz voir un festu en l’oil d’un autre qe un baston travers lor oilz demeisne 74fil 1 s.
Semantic labels: geog., jewel., metal, textile
Usage labels: fig., prov.Citations:
to be tongue-tied, not very talkative
prov.: (c.1360-79) Et s’il voit l’autry vilainye, Tout coy se tient, n’en parle mye, N’ad pas la langue au fil pendant 12780force 2 s.sg. and pl.
Semantic labels: implement, med.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
needs must when the devil drives
prov.: (s.xiii1/3) Sovent ad esté reprové, Ço dient, que force pest le pré 284
prov.: (c.1240) Ke volez vus, force pest le pré; Baudwin en fu desbaraté, Ke le champ gwerpi a grant meschef 233.41
prov.: (1280-1307) Mais tut enviz se rendent, car “force paist le pré”, Ceo dit hom en proverbe de veille antiquité 302.879frestel s.
Semantic labels: music
Usage labels: fig., prov.Citations:
to wet the whistle, have a drink
prov.: (c.1360-79) Forsq'au matin primer s'adresce A la taverne, et se professe Tout droit au bout de la tonelle [...] ainçois moille sa frestelle 8132gorge 1 s.
Semantic labels: anat., fishing, human, zool.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to lie in one's teeth
prov.: (1396) Tu mens fausement parmy la gorge. Je sçai bien que tu y fus 19.14margarite s.
Semantic labels: bot., lapid.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to cast one’s pearls before the swine
prov.: (c.1200) Ne donez pas la seinte chose as chiens, ne les margarites as pors 47.201margerie s.
Semantic labels: lapid.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to cast pearls before swine
prov.: (c.1136-65) Ne volt geter les margeries Entre porcs, cleres e polies, Ne doner as chiens saintuaire K'il heent e unt a contraire 7625molin s.
Semantic labels: archit., horses, implement, toponym, zool.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to be led to water but refuse to drink
prov.: (c.1136-65) par desdeing murir se laisse. De cels est dunc, si cum jeo crei, Ki al mulin muerent de sei 8noef 2 a. adv. s.
Semantic labels: Bibl.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to worsen a situation
prov.: (1280-1307) Venuz sunt au roys de sa pees prier, Ly roys sur la demaunde les fet ajourner; Dount durement me doute qe curtaysye de qoer Nous fra la nove sause pire du prime 413.2195paille 1 s. s.pl.
Semantic labels: agricultural, bot.
Usage labels: fig., prov.Citations:
to fly away like dust on the wind
prov.: (1273-82) L'odour de li la mort travaile E l'enchace cum vent la paile 896
prov.: (1280-1307) s'envole al vent cum fet la paylle ii 246pescher 2 v.trans. v.intrans. inf. as s.
Semantic labels: fishing, geog., law
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to attempt to catch the fish before the nets are drawn, jump the gun, act prematurely
prov.: (1305) Vous peschez avant la reye; uncore ne avient pas le temps a desclamer; attendez tant q'il viegne e donqes par resomons poez faire la partie venir cienz 33-35 Ed I 75
to have it both ways
prov.: (s.xiv1/3) Il pesche a deus ryves 428.26pessun 1 s.
Semantic labels: astron., culin., decor., eccl., fishing, ich., liturgical, merch., time, zool.
Usage labels: coll., prov.Citations:
healthy as a horse, completely healthy
prov.: (s.xiiex) Si il les dous enfanz tuast E Amilun el sanc baignast, Si sein devendreit com pessun 1083
prov.: (c.1230) Quant ot finé sa ureisun E mis al cors sa beneisun, Sein devint cum nul peisun 2036
prov.: (c.1240) Tantost avereit sa garisun, Si s'en parteint sein cum pessun 239.LVII.62porc s.
Semantic labels: culin., livestock, mammals, med., pharm., zool.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to cast one’s pearls before the swine
prov.: (1171-74) Cil qui laissent le munt e se tienent el val Bous d'or en gruing de porc sunt, e del tut jaal 2844porcel 1 s.
Semantic labels: culin., livestock, mammals, med., mil., pharm., zool.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
whatever one gives to one’s children, one keeps
prov.: (1311) Le fet voet qe Johan purchacea le terme a lui et ces heirs; et W. est heir Jon; et il ne perd mie aumoigne qe la doune a ses purcelles Ed II ix 30
prov.: (s.xiv1/3) Il ne pert pas sa aumone qy a son porceu le doune 428.6pot 1 s.
Semantic labels: astron., condim., culin., decor., domestic, eccl., liturgical, unit, volume
Usage labels: fig., prov.Citations:
to reveal a secret, let the cat out of the bag
prov.: (c.1185) Bien nus ad le pot descovert. Ore sai jo ben [...] 2358pudre s.
Semantic labels: alchem., Bibl., colour, condim., culin., med., mil., pharm., theol., weapons
Usage labels: name, prov.Citations:
to labour in vain
prov.: (s.xiiiex) ki est entur de coiller ensemble bones vertuz sanz humilité i porte ausi com poudre au vent quasi pulverem in vento portat 4.1
to deceive, fool
prov.: (c.1185) suffrerat sufflera D s.xiv m la pudre as oilz E as jofnes e as plus veulz 2143temprure s.
Semantic labels: emotion, med., meteo., music
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
(to do, act) as circumstances require
prov.: (c.1165) Solone tens temprure 208.70
prov.: (s.xiiiin) Pur ceo dient asez bien Li proverbe ancien Que de tut est mesure E sulung tens temprure 2818
prov.: (1212) E por tant coite al cointe mire, Einsi com l’en selt jadis dire, Si estre voelt tenu a sage E qe ne face trop damage, Qe toz jors face par mesure Segon le tens sa tempreure 7734usage s.
Semantic labels: law, occupation
Usage labels: euph., prov.Citations:
practice makes perfect
prov.: (1354) homme dist qe usage fait mestier fait le mestre C s.xiv ex 78
practice makes perfect (?)
prov.: (s.xiiim) Le escole dais haunter Pur tai ben excercer, En arte tut seez sage; Kar exercice pur veir Te fra bon sen aveir, Cum overain fet usage sicut manus adiuvat usum 908