The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (370 page)
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MISFORTUNES never come singly
Cf. early 14th-cent. Fr.
ung meschief ne vient point seul
, a misfortune does not come alone.
c
1300
King Alisaunder
(EETS) 1. 1276
Men telleth in olde mone [lament] The qued [harm] comuth nowher alone.
1509
Ship of Fools
236
Wyse men sayth, and oft it fallyth so .. That one myshap fortuneth neuer alone.
1622
tr.
Aleman's Guzman d'Alfarache
I
. iii.
Misfortunes seldome come alone.
1711
Spectator
8 Mar.
The Lady .. said to her Husband with a Sigh, My Dear, Misfortunes never come single.
1791
Letter
27 July in
Memoirs of Aaron Burr
(1836) I. 301
We certainly see the old proverb very often verified. ‘That misfortunes never come singly,’ that poor little woman is a proof.
1894
Perlycross
II. vii.
As misfortunes never come single, the sacred day robbed him of another fine resource.
1931
Wanted for Murder
v.
Blessings, like misfortunes, never come singly. There was even a packet of Havana cigarettes .. behind the bath salts.
1981
Death-Cap Dancers
v.
‘The car .. skidded and hit a tree.’ ‘Misfortunes never come singly.’
misfortune
ung meschief ne vient point seul
, a misfortune does not come alone.
c1300
King Alisaunder
(EETS) 1. 1276
Men telleth in olde mone [lament] The qued [harm] comuth nowher alone.
1509
Ship of Fools
236
Wyse men sayth, and oft it fallyth so .. That one myshap fortuneth neuer alone.
1622
tr.
Aleman's Guzman d'Alfarache
I
. iii.
Misfortunes seldome come alone.
1711
Spectator
8 Mar.
The Lady .. said to her Husband with a Sigh, My Dear, Misfortunes never come single.
1791
Letter
27 July in
Memoirs of Aaron Burr
(1836) I. 301
We certainly see the old proverb very often verified. ‘That misfortunes never come singly,’ that poor little woman is a proof.
1894
Perlycross
II. vii.
As misfortunes never come single, the sacred day robbed him of another fine resource.
1931
Wanted for Murder
v.
Blessings, like misfortunes, never come singly. There was even a packet of Havana cigarettes .. behind the bath salts.
1981
Death-Cap Dancers
v.
‘The car .. skidded and hit a tree.’ ‘Misfortunes never come singly.’
misfortune
A MISS is as good as a mile
The syntax of the proverb has been distorted by abridgement: the original structure is apparent from quot. 1614.
1614
Remains concerning Britain
(ed.2) 303
An ynche in a misse is as good as an ell [a former measure of length equal to about 1.1 m].
1655
Hist. Cambridge
37
An hairs breadth fixed by a divine-finger, shall prove as effectuall a separation from danger as a miles distance.
1788
American Museum
Apr. 382
A miss is as good as a mile.
1825
Journal
3 Dec. (1939) 28
He was very near being a poet—but a miss is as good as a mile, and he always fell short of the mark.
1978
Throwback
vii.
If you aimed at a grouse it was hit or miss and a miss was as good as a mile.
error
1614Remains concerning Britain
(ed.2) 303
An ynche in a misse is as good as an ell [a former measure of length equal to about 1.1 m].
1655
Hist. Cambridge
37
An hairs breadth fixed by a divine-finger, shall prove as effectuall a separation from danger as a miles distance.
1788
American Museum
Apr. 382
A miss is as good as a mile.
1825
Journal
3 Dec. (1939) 28
He was very near being a poet—but a miss is as good as a mile, and he always fell short of the mark.
1978
Throwback
vii.
If you aimed at a grouse it was hit or miss and a miss was as good as a mile.
errorYou never MISS the water till the well runs dry
a1628
Proverbs in Scots
no. 1140
Manie wats [know] not quhairof [whereof] the wel sauris [tastes] quhill [until] it fall drie.
1659
Proverbs
(British) 24
Of the Well we see no want, till either dry, or Water skant.
1721
Scottish Proverbs
351
We'll never know the worth of Water 'till the well go dry.
1874
You never miss Water
5
Do not let your chances, like sunbeams pass you by; For you never miss the water till the well runs dry.
1971
Competition for Alan
x.
It's a case of not missing the water until the well runs dry.
1996
Washington Times
18 July A6
‘There is an old adage,’ Sen. Robert Byrd .. recalled this week, ‘that “you never miss the water until the well runs dry.”’
blessings;
gratitude and ingratitude
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