proverb · Traditional
'Tis a blot on his escutcheon.
A damaging act can leave a mark on someone’s reputation. The blot pictures conduct that spoils an otherwise respected public image.
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proverb · Traditional
'Tis a good horse that never stumbles, and a good wife that never grumbles.
The saying imagines exceptional reliability through a horse that never stumbles and a wife who never complains. Its standard of perfect performance and silence needs questioning.
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'Tis a great journey to the world's end.
An extremely distant destination suggests an undertaking of considerable scale. The expression can call attention to how far a task reaches, without treating the world as having a literal endpoint or promising that every journey is worth completing.
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'Tis a hard battle where none escapes.
A conflict that leaves no one unharmed has a terrible cost even if someone claims victory. The saying directs attention to what everyone loses when a contest becomes destructive.
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’Tis a long day a day without bread.
An ordinary day can feel much harder when a basic need is unmet. Consider material conditions before judging another person’s mood, attention or performance.
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'Tis a long lane that has no turning.
A difficult course may eventually change direction, like a long lane reaching a turn. The saying offers hope for change without proving that every hardship will soon resolve.
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'Tis an ill dog that deserves not a bone.
Even someone regarded unfavourably may deserve some recognition or kindness. The bone represents a modest good that should not be withheld without thought.
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'Tis an ill guest that never drinks to his host.
A guest is encouraged to acknowledge the host’s welcome. Drinking to the host pictures a small act of reciprocal courtesy rather than a requirement to consume alcohol.
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'Tis an ill horse will not carry his own provender.
A resource should be considered together with the support needed to keep it useful. The horse carrying its own provisions pictures a capability that does not consume all the effort of those relying on it.
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'Tis easy to find a staff to beat a dog.
Someone determined to punish or mistreat another can often find a pretext. Examine whether the supposed reason is fair rather than accepting it because an accusation has been made.
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'Tis folly to dig for lead with a silver shovel.
A costly method can be disproportionate to the value of what it obtains. The silver shovel and lead invite a comparison between means and result, rather than assuming that any successful effort is worth its expense.
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'Tis good fish if it were but caught.
An attractive possibility is not yet an achieved result. The good fish still needing to be caught distinguishes what might be valuable from what is actually available to use.
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'Tis hard to sail o'er the sea in an egg-shell.
A demanding undertaking needs means capable of supporting it. The tiny eggshell set against the sea pictures an unsuitable arrangement, rather than proving that every ambitious plan or modest beginning must fail.
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'Tis money makes the mare to go.
Good intentions may not be enough when an activity requires resources. Recognise the practical costs that make a plan possible instead of assuming enthusiasm alone will carry it forward.
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'Tis not lost that comes at last.
A delayed result may still have value when it eventually arrives. The saying counters treating lateness as complete loss, while timing can remain essential and an eventual arrival does not automatically repair every consequence of delay.
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'Tis pity fair weather should do any harm.
Even apparently pleasant conditions may have an unwanted effect. The saying expresses regret that what seems favourable can still create difficulty.
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'Tis safe riding in a good haven.
A protected situation can make an activity seem easier or safer than it would elsewhere. The good haven pictures favourable conditions, without proving that confidence there will transfer to an exposed setting.
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'Tis sooner said than done.
Describing an action can be much easier than carrying it out. Consider the effort, resources and difficulties behind a proposal before treating a simple instruction as a complete solution.
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'Tis the clerk makes the justice.
An official’s work can depend heavily on the person who prepares and manages its records. The saying draws attention to expertise behind visible authority.
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'Tis the early bird catches the worm.
Starting early can help you obtain an opportunity before others reach it. Timely preparation or action may matter as much as waiting for ideal conditions.
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'Tis the nature of the beast.
An observed tendency may help explain why something behaves as it does. The saying can encourage realistic expectations, but calling it the nature of the beast should not excuse harmful conduct or declare a person incapable of change.
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'Tis the second blow that makes a fray.
Retaliation can turn an initial wrong into an ongoing fight. The second blow pictures the point at which answering harm may extend the conflict.
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'Tis too late, to spare when the bottom is bare.
Saving cannot preserve a resource once it has already been exhausted. The bare bottom of a container makes the warning about timing concrete.
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’Twixt the word and the deed there’s a long step.
An intention or announcement can be far from its fulfilment. Judge a commitment by the steps needed and the action taken, not by words alone.
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