Search Results
Your search matched 39 entries.
aluchier v.trans.
Semantic labels: agricultural
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to cultivate
prov.: (1171-74) Qui malvais arbre aluche, malvais fruit deit mangier (=as ye sow, so shall ye reap) 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. p.pr. as gerund p.p.
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 2410bargainer v.trans. v.intrans. sbst. inf.
Semantic labels: finan., law, merch.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
to bargain, haggle
prov.: (s.xii4/4) (prov.) Fol marchant folement bargaigne 13.363
prov.: (1280-1307) Le eveske de W. issi barganayt , Ki le ray R. pur argent ly feffait De deus bons maners ii 30baston s.
Semantic labels: cosmet., decor., domestic, eccl., herald., implement, law, livestock, mil., occupation, 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.: (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 1 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 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 133essaim s.
Semantic labels: insects, zool.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
swarm (of bees)
prov.: (s.xii4/4) De bone rusche bon essaim 9.201esveiller v.trans. v.intrans. v.refl. p.p. as a.
Usage labels: fig., prov.
Citations:
to let sleeping dogs lie
prov.: (s.xii1/3) nous ne vouldrons esveiller le chien que dort 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. sbst. inf.
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 400.1868faus 1 a. s.
Semantic labels: herald., heresy, lang., law, med., theol., unit, weight, zool.
Usage labels: prov.Citations:
it is worthless
prov.: (1267) Jo vus cum ma femme tendrai Geske une plus riche aver purai: Teu manere d'espusaile Ne vaut mie une fause maile 11552ferir v.trans. v.intrans. v.refl. p.pr. as a. p.p. as a. sbst. inf.
Semantic labels: curr., emotion, equit., finan., 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: fig., prov.
Citations:
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, 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.
Semantic labels: Bibl., toponym
Usage labels: name, 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. sbst. inf.
Semantic labels: fishing
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