Proverbs from Ben Jonson

Found 553 related proverbs. Click on any proverb below to view the full analysis and original text.

• A32 As deaf as an ADDER
• A91 As loved (dear) as the AIR I breathe
• A93 Fresh AIR is ill for the diseased or wounded man
• A96 A false ALARM
• A155 ALL is well, the old man dances
• A172 Bear (Take, Suffer) this, bear (take, suffer) ALL
• A220 An ALMOND for parrot
• A234 AMBITION is the last affection¹ a noble mind can put off
• A242 There spoke an ANGEL
• A246 ANGER is short madness
• A250 You are such ANOTHER
• A263 An APE is an ape though clad in scarlet (gold)
• A284 Handsome APPAREL makes fools pass for wise men (hides much deformity)
• A303 An APPLE-SQUIRE
• A321 As straight as an ARROW
• A331 ART (Knowledge, Learning) has no enemy save ignorance
• A335 It is ART to hide art
• A338 Hey brave ARTHUR BRADLEY
• B4 As innocent (clear) as a newborn BABE (child, chrisom-child)
• B18 As bare as the BACK of my hand
• B50 The BAIT hides the hook
• B99 The BASILISK's eye is fatal
• B167 BEAUTY is a blaze (blast)
• B186 Go to BED with the lamb and rise with the lark
• B208 Where the BEE sucks honey the spider sucks poison
• B211 BEES that have honey in their mouths have stings in their tails
• B221 The BEETLE flies over many a sweet flower and lights in a cowshard
• B238 Set a BEGGAR on horseback and he will ride a gallop (run his horse out of breath)
• B269 We soon BELIEVE what we desire
• B289 The BELLY that is full may well fast
• B299 I wish it were in your BELLY for me
• B333 The BETTER the worse
• B365a A BIRD (egg) of the same nest
• B397 Small BIRDS must have meat
• B439 To have it in BLACK and white
• B450 BLESSING of your heart, you brew good ale
• B559 Sooth BOURD is no bourd
• B596 To bear a BRAIN
• B641 He runs himself out of BREATH
• B645 She wears the BREECHES
• B670 To bite upon the BRIDLE
• B681 Little BROOKS make great rivers
• B714 To milk a BULL (he-goat)
• B743 A BUSHEL of March dust is worth a king's ransom
• B772 BUTTER is mad twice a year
• C12 His CAKE is dough
• C15a CALAMITY (Extremity) is the touchstone of a brave mind (unto wit)
• C19 You would have the CALF with the white face
• C21 Essex CALVES
• C43 It smells of the CANDLE (lamp, oil)
• C63 If his CAP be made of wool
• C84 CARE will kill a cat
• C85 Hang CARE (sorrow)
• C111 The CASE is altered, quoth Plowden
• C126 To build CASTLES in the air
• C154 Like a CAT, to have nine lives
• C197 He was born with a CAUL
• C202 Remove the CAUSE and the effect will cease
• C211 Without CERES and Bacchus Venus grows cold
• C221 As changeable as a CHAMELEON
• C222 The CHAMELEON can change to all colors save white
• C234 To be no CHANGELING
• C351 As dry as a CHIP
• C386 Claw a CHURL by (Grease a fat sow in) the tail and he (she) will beray your hand
• C432 Like Northern CLOTH, shrunk in the wetting
• C448 They are CLOVE and orange
• C452 As sure as a CLUB
• C458 As black as a COAL
• C460 Let them that be acold blow at the COAL
• C464 He will carry (bear) no COALS
• C469 The COAST is (is not) clear
• C473 I would not be in your COAT (skin) for anything
• C493 He sets COCK on the hoop
• C511 COLEWORTS (Cabbage) twice sodden
• C520 To fear no COLORS¹
• C522 Of a ragged COLT comes a good horse
• C529 COME (Hap) what come (hap) may
• C540 I CAME, saw, and overcame
• C542 Cold COMFORT
• C570 It is better to be alone than in bad (ill) COMPANY
• C571 It is good to have COMPANY in trouble (misery)
• C579 Some complain to prevent COMPLAINT
• C601 CONSCIENCE is a thousand witnesses
• C616 You might be a CONSTABLE for your wit
• C648 To change (turn) one's COPY
• C667 The CORRUPTION of one is the generation of another
• C680 COUNSEL is as good for him as a shoulder of mutton for a sick horse
• C685 Good COUNSEL lightly never comes too late
• C725 In COURT, city, and country
• C727 One (Neither) of the COURT but none (nor) of the counsel
• C739 Call me COUSIN but cozen me not
• C756 His COW has calved
• C761 Many a good COW has an ill (evil) calf
• C780 Look high and fall into a COW TURD
• C831 CROCODILE TEARS
• C840 CROSSES are ladders that do lead to heaven
• C864 From the CROWN of the head to the sole of the foot
• C886 To send one to CUCKOLD's haven
• C908 To drink of the same CUP
• C938 Come CUT and longtail
• C940 Then call me CUT
• D55 As bright as DAY
• D56 As clear as the DAY
• D136 As sure as DEATH
• D143 DEATH is the grand leveler
• D158 To rhyme to DEATH, as they do rats in Ireland
• D179 He that DECEIVES (beguiles) another is oft deceived (beguiled) himself
• D182 To deceive the DECEIVER is no deceit
• D188 The DEEPER the sweeter
• D196 DELAY in love is dangerous
• D242 The DEVIL is an ass
• D251 The DEVIL is in the straw
• D252 The DEVIL is known by his claws (cloven feet, horns)
• D273 Give the DEVIL his due
• D315 He is patterning the DEVIL's paternoster
• D319 Raise no more DEVILS (spirits) than you are able to lay
• D326 The DIE is cast
• D362 He is DISGUISED
• D376 You clap your DISH¹ (beg, knock) at a wrong man's door
• D383 DISPRAISE by evil men is praise
• D395 DO as you would be done to
• D405 Self DO self have
• D438 As melancholy as a DOG
• D453 A DOG (man) of wax
• D470 A good DOG deserves a good bone
• D556 Here is the DOOR and there is the way
• D591 Morning DREAMS are true
• D632 To make DUCKS and drakes with one's money
• D634 Give everyone his DUE
• E5 An EAGLE's old age
• E11 He cannot hear on that EAR (side)
• E21 To carry one by the EARS like a pot (pitcher)
• E24 To sleep securely on both EARS (on either EAR)
• E27 EARLY up and never the nearer
• E42 You take your EASE in your inn
• E59 As nimble as an EEL in a sandbag
• E81 To come of the same EGG (nest)
• E86 I have EGGS on the spit
• E102 To be out at ELBOWS
• E107 He is out of his ELEMENT
• E108 To be in one's ELEMENT
• E116 The END crowns (tries) all
• E121 Everything has an END and a pudding¹ has two
• E131 He goes in at the wide END of the horn and is squeezed out at the small end
• E152 To speak plain ENGLISH
• E177 Better be ENVIED than pitied
• E179 To ERR is human, to repent is divine, to persevere is diabolical
• E192 To be wise after the EVENT
• E198 He sucked EVIL from the dug
• E200 He that helps the EVIL hurts the good
• E215 To EXCUSE is to accuse
• E235 Have an EYE (Look) to the main chance
• E246 The sore EYE infects the sound
• E252 You cannot say black is his EYE
• E254 As many EYES as Argus
• F1 The FACE is the index of the heart (mind)
• F3 Fair FACE foul heart
• F63 As soon may you get a FART of a dead man (horse)
• F106 For FAULT (want) of a better
• F117 Who is in FAULT (guilty) suspects everybody
• F150 As light as a FEATHER
• F171 FEBRUEER doth cut and shear
• F198 FEW are they whom fair-minded Jove loves
• F222 He FINDS that seeks
• F239 Lay thy FINGERS on thy lips
• F288 To weigh the FIRE and measure the wind
• F294 As good do it at FIRST as at last
• F299 As drunk as a FISH
• F300 As mute as a FISH
• F306 The FISH follow the hook (bait)
• F307 FISH is cast away that is cast into dry pools
• F320 Of all the FISH in the sea, herring is the king
• F344 He gave him a FLAP with a foxtail
• F365 It will not out of the FLESH that is bred in the bone
• F366 My own FLESH and blood
• F371 In the coldest FLINT there is hot fire
• F398 To make of a FLY an elephant
• F407 It is no FLYING without wings
• F419 Fat FOLKS are faithful (good-natured)
• F465 A FOOL is known by much babbling
• F483 He is a FOOL that makes his physician his heir
• F490 He that teaches himself has a FOOL to his master
• F517 A FOOL's handsel is lucky
• F579a To be cold on one's FEET
• F590 In the FOREHEAD and in the eye the lecture of the heart (mind) doth lie
• F600 FORTUNE favors fools
• F604 FORTUNE (Justice) is blind
• F621 FOUR make up a mess
• F653 We must fall down before a FOX (lion, fortune) in season
• F661 To yoke FOXES
• F676 What was good the FRIAR never loved
• F704 He is a good FRIEND that speaks well on's behind our backs
• F708 He would rather lose his FRIEND than his jest
• F744 He that has many FRIENDS eats too much salt with his meat
• G3 GAIN savors sweetly from anything
• G7 Light GAINS make heavy purses
• G18 If I be hanged I'll choose my GALLOWS
• G42 He may go hang himself in his own GARTERS
• G84 That would I fain see, said blind GEORGE OF HOLLOWAY (blind Hugh)
• G123 To GIVE (tell) one his own
• G188 GOD has done his part
• G251 Those that GOD loves do not live long (The good die young)
• G257 When GOD will punish he will first take away the understanding
• G301 Evil-gotten (Ill-gotten) GOODS never prove well (prosper, endure)
• G321 To know one's (one's own) GOOD
• G337 It is more your GOODNESS than my desert
• G382 It is merry when GOSSIPS (gentlefolks) meet
• G425 To hold a GRASSHOPPER by the wing
• G437 The GREATER embraces (includes, hides) the less
• G480 As sure (right, true) as a GUN
• H7 HAD I FISH is good without mustard (was never good with garlic)
• H23 Take a HAIR of the dog that bit you
• H29 Within a HAIR's breadth
• H60 It is hard (ill) HALTING before a cripple
• H73 He is his right HAND
• H80 I will lay my HAND on my halfpenny ere I part with it
• H90 The same HAND that gave must heal the wound
• H150 A HARE has crossed your way
• H153 A HARE sleeps with his eyes open
• H167 HARM watch harm catch
• H177 To be a HARPOCRATES
• H178 Not worth a HARRINGTON
• H189 HASTE makes waste
• H227 Ware the HAWK
• H233 He has HAY on his horn
• H248 He has thy HEAD under his girdle
• H255 His HEAD is full of bees
• H269 To break one's HEAD and give him a plaster
• H278 As many HEADS as Hydra
• H293 You must not pledge your own HEALTH
• H346 To pay one home with HEAVE AND HO
• H351 To be in the ninth (second, third) HEAVEN
• H403 HELL is broke loose
• H473 To be off (on) the HINGES
• H503 You have brought your HOGS (eggs) to a fair (fine, wrong) market
• H515 Who can HOLD that will away?
• H563 It is but HONEYMOON with them
• H576 It is better to die with HONOR than to live with shame
• H582 Great HONORS are great burdens
• H589 Hold HOOK and line
• H593 As round as a HOOP
• H625 He wears the HORNS
• H638 Do not spur a free HORSE
• H640 A flea-bitten HORSE never tires
• H673 It would make a HORSE break his bridle or a dog his halter (It would make a horse [dog] laugh)
• H723 In my (your) t'other HOSE
• H813 HUNGER drops out of his nose
• H817 HUNGER is not dainty (ambitious)
• I3 To break the ICE
• I72 INJURIES slighted become none at all
• I94 It is good to strike while the IRON is hot
• I97 To digest IRON (To have a stomach), like an ostrich
• I99 He has many (other) IRONS in the fire
• J37 Like JANUS, two-faced
• J39 To JERICHO with him
• J48 No JESTING with bell ropes
• J71 To send (To come) by JOHN LONG (Tom Long) the carrier
• J82 JOVE laughs at lovers' perjuries
• J101 To drink the JUICE of mandrake (mandragora)
• K1 KA¹ me ka thee
• K10 He is wise enough that can KEEP himself warm
• K16 Neither in KENT nor Christendome
• K56 He fears nor KING nor kaiser
• K106 You must not KISS and tell
• K122 A crafty KNAVE needs no broker
• K138 There I caught a KNAVE in a purse net
• K178 To KNOW what is what
• K183 He KNOWS (knows not) when he is well
• L9 You lose your LABOR
• L20 What do you LACK?
• L69 Like a LAPWING that runs away with the shell on its head
• L91 LAUGH and be fat
• L96 To lay in LAVENDER
• L97 Agree, for the LAW is costly
• L116 LAWS catch flies (little flies) but let the hornets (great flies) go free
• L118 They that make LAWS must not break them
• L131 I will LAY it on, take it off who will
• L186 A LEG (pestle) of a lark is better than the body of a kite
• L194 To stand on his own LEGS
• L276 To stand in one's own LIGHT
• L305 To work by LINE and level (measure)
• L313 A LION is known by his paw (claw)
• L322 To see the LIONS
• L324 He can ill pipe that lacks (wants) his upper LIP
• L326 Like (Such) LIPS like (such) lettuce
• L367 Though he said LITTLE he thought the more
• L386 He LIVES long that lives well
• L419 The LONG (short) and the short (long) of it
• L500 LOVE cannot be hid
• L518 LOVE (Woman, Honor), like a shadow (crocodile, death), flies one following and pursues one fleeing
• L539 A perfect LOVE does last eternally
• L575 He that would have good LUCK in horses (horseflesh) must kiss the parson's wife
• L578 Left-handed LUCK is ill luck
• M1 You might carry (have) an M under your girdle
• M78 Beware of a silent MAN (dog) and still water
• M81 A blind MAN may sometimes catch (hit, shoot) a hare (crow, the mark)
• M94 A drunken MAN (Drunken folk) seldom catches (take) harm
• M121 Every MAN in his humor
• M125 Every MAN is either a fool or a physician to himself
• M146 Give a MAN luck (fortune) and throw him into the sea
• M159 A hasty (angry) MAN never wants woe
• M162 He is (is not) a MAN of God's making
• M163 He is a tall MAN of his hands
• M209 Let every MAN have his own
• M239 A MAN (thing) in print
• M254 A MAN is weal or woe as he thinks himself so
• M258 A MAN may cause his own dog to bite him
• M321 No MAN can play the fool so well as the wise man
• M328 No MAN holds you
• M360 The properer (honester) MAN the worse luck
• M397 To grease a MAN in the fist
• M426 A wise (valiant) MAN makes every country his own
• M460 I am no MAN's wife
• M476 A MAN's praise in his own mouth does stink
• M488 Ready to dance to (run at) every MAN's pipe (whistle)
• M502 All Men are mortal
• M505 All MEN must die
• M545 MEN are not made of steel
• M628 Let him mend his MANNERS, it will be his own another day
• M661 MARGERY, good cow, gives a good meal (pail) of milk but throws it down with her heels
• M681 MARRIAGE is a lottery
• M739 Blurt, MASTER CONSTABLE
• M747 Meddle with your MATCH
• M761 It is not the MATTER (words) but the mind
• M792 The golden MEAN is best
• M812 Dear MEAT is a thief
• M816 He brings (carries) MEAT in his mouth
• M822 It is better to want MEAT than guests or company
• M832 No MEAT for mowers (your mowing)
• M901 A MERRY GREEK
• M905 MESSENGERS should neither be headed nor hanged
• M931 As white as MILK
• M942 His MILL will go with all winds
• M965 I can see as far into a MILLSTONE as another man
• M972 My MIND to me a kingdom is
• M980 What is MINE is yours and what is yours is mine (your own)
• M1034 As blind as a MOLE
• M1071 MONEY, like dung, does no good till it is spread
• M1085 MONEY will do more than my lord's letter
• M1090 Put MONEY in thy purse
• M1097 To get MONEY from him is like pulling teeth
• M1105 MONMOUTH CAPS
• M1109 To have a MONTH's mind to a person (thing)
• M1149 The MORE one drinks (eats) the more one may
• M1157 There belongs MORE to a bed than four bare legs
• M1160 To be MORE than he can answer
• M1174 In the MORNING the heights, in the evening the depths
• M1217 To promise MOUNTAINS (golden mountains)
• M1259 Spit in his MOUTH and make him a mastiff (as men do with dogs)
• M1319 A MUSHROOM grows in a night
• M1328 MUSICIANS (Singers) know no means to be entreated either to begin or end
• N57 I am NEAREST to myself
• N81 NEED will have its course
• N102 NEGLECT will kill an injury sooner than revenge
• N157 I will thank you for the NEXT, for this I am sure of
• N165 As secret (silent) as the NIGHT
• N167 Dark NIGHT is Cupid's day
• N210 To ring NOON on one's head
• N296 NOTHING is given us in this life without much labor
• N315 NOTHING seek nothing find
• O4 He will have an OAR in every man's boat
• O40 Sweet OLIVER
• O67 To weep (It may serve) with an ONION
• O114 To gape like an OYSTER for the tide
• P57 Like a PARISH TOP
• P60 To speak (prate) like a PARROT
• P65 A Pancridge PARSON¹ (earl¹)
• P101 Not to go forward on the PATH (way) of virtue is to go backward
• P133 As small (big) as a PEA
• P166 PEARLS are restorative
• P225 He that builds on the PEOPLE builds on the mud (dirt)
• P229 You cannot make PEOPLE honest by an act of Parliament
• P250 Near is my PETTICOAT (kirtle, coat) but nearer is my smock (sark)
• P276 To be in a sad (sweet) PICKLE
• P315 Here is a PIGEON (goose, pig) so finely roasted it cries, Come eat me
• P329 To sew PILLOWS under one's elbows
• P350 As full as a PIPER's bag
• P351 PIPING HOT
• P383 PLAIN DEALING is best
• P389 To be PLANET-STRUCK
• P401 To PLAY fast and loose
• P483 The PORPOISE (dolphin) plays before a storm
• P490 As deaf (dumb) as a POST
• P533 To send (come) with a POWDER
• P538 Faint PRAISE is disparagement
• P540 PRAISE by evil men is dispraise
• P575 PRIDE feels no cold (frost, pain)
• P576 PRIDE goes before and shame (ambition) comes after
• P614 Too much PROTESTING makes the truth suspected
• P654 He that shows his PURSE longs to be rid of it
• P655 A heavy PURSE makes a light heart
• R1 R is the dog's letter
• R27 While the one milks the RAM (he-goat) the other holds under the sieve
• R68 The REMEDY (cure) is worse than the disease
• R80 REPENTANCE never comes too late
• R81 To buy REPENTANCE too dear
• R82 To buy REPENTANCE too dear
• R90 REVENGE is sweet
• R98 Neither RHYME nor reason
• R136 The RISING of one man is the falling of another
• R174 To twist (make) a ROPE of sand
• R182 No ROSE without a thorn (prickle)
• R185 Under the ROSE
• R200 He is only fit for RUFFIAN's HALL
• S24 Make not your SAIL too big for the ballast (the boat)
• S42 Like SAINT GEORGE, who is ever on horseback yet never rides
• S43 As lame as SAINT GILES of Cripplegate¹
• S62 If it rain on SAINT SWITHIN's DAY¹ expect 'twill do so forty days after more or less
• S63 SAINT THOMAS A WATERINGS
• S66 On SAINT VALENTINE's DAY¹ all the birds in couples do join
• S111 SAY I told you so
• S114 Though I SAY it that should not say it
• S159 To pay SCOT AND LOT
• S174 In a calm SEA every man may be a pilot
• S183 To laue (empty) the SEA with a nutshell (cockle-shell, spoon)
• S184 To plow the SEA
• S187 He promises SEAS and mountains
• S217 SELF do self have
• S228 A SERPENT must eat another serpent before he can become a dragon
• S323 He casts a SHEEP's EYE at her
• S329 A good SHEPHERD must fleece his sheep but not flay them
• S357 If my SHIRT knew my secrets I would burn it
• S392 Keep thy SHOP and thy shop will keep thee
• S446 SILENCE is (gives) consent
• S447 SILENCE is the best ornament of a woman
• S462 SIMPER DE COCKET
• S473 Successful (Prosperous) SIN passes for virtue
• S506 As true (honest) as the SKIN between your brows
• S512 Not worth three SKIPS of a louse (pie¹)
• S517 When (If) the SKY (heaven) falls we shall have (catch) larks
• S531 A broken SLEEVE holds the arm back
• S538 A SLIP of the tongue is wont to tell the truth
• S577 I will SMOKE you
• S579 As slow as a SNAIL
• S613 SOME wiser than some
• S621 There is SOMETHING (somewhat) in the wind
• S632 A SON of the white hen
• S649 To rip up (rub) old SORES
• S663 Make not two SORROWS of one
• S672 As meet as a SOW to bear a saddle
• S681 The still SOW eats up all the draff
• S684 You have the SOW by the right (wrong) ear
• S685 You take the wrong SOW by the ear
• S692 Thick SOWN and (but) thin comes up
• S699 To call a SPADE a spade
• S712 SPARING is the first gaining (getting)
• S725 To SPEAK (Not to speak) as one thinks
• S730 That is well SPOKEN (There is nothing ill said) that is well taken
• S748 SPICK-AND-SPAN-NEW (Spick-and-span)
• S769 To set (put) a SPOKE in one's cart (wheel)
• S810 He has eaten (swallowed) a STAKE
• S841 As true STEEL as Ripon rowels
• S856 You would be (leap) over the STILE before you come at it
• S861 I would I might never STIR else
• S878 As hard as a STONE (flint, rock)
• S903 STORE is no sore
• S912 To be STRAIT-LACED
• S917 Not to care (give) a STRAW (rush)
• S945 To be in a brown STUDY
• S953 To leave one (To lie, To be) in the SUDS (sands)
• S979 The rising, not the setting, SUN is worshiped by most men
• S1039 SWEETHEART and bag pudding
• S1042 As drunk as a SWINE (sow, David's sow)
• T17 The TAILOR makes the man
• T27 TAKE it as you will (list, please)
• T28 TAKE it or leave it
• T31 Everything is as it is TAKEN
• T42 One TALE is good until another be told (heard)
• T45 A TALE of a tub
• T47 Tell a TALE to a mare and she will let a fart
• T48 Thereby hangs a TALE
• T50 To take the TALE (word) out of one's mouth
• T53 TALES of Robin Hood are good for fools
• T72 Long TARRYING takes all the thanks away
• T79 To swallow a TAVERN TOKEN
• T82 From thence came these TEARS
• T88 When? Can you TELL?
• T89 So you TOLD me
• T149 The THING done has an end (is not to do)
• T188 Little THINGS are pretty
• T191 Many THINGS happen (fall) between the cup and the lip
• T199 THINGS are not as they seem
• T246 I know your THOUGHTS (know you) as well as if I were within you (in your belly)
• T255 He THREATENS many that hurts any
• T268 To lie in one's THROAT
• T290 He does not desire to die before his TIME
• T303 In TIME the ox (bull) will bear the yoke
• T326 TIME devours (consumes, wears out) all things
• T402 To keep a good TONGUE in one's head
• T412 Your TONGUE runs before your wit
• T413 To have it at one's TONGUE's end
• T420 To have a sweet (wanton) TOOTH
• T424 Good that the TEETH guard the tongue
• T429 To cast (hit) in the TEETH
• T439 To be whipped like a TOP
• T456 A TOY¹ to mock an ape
• T484 The TREASURE consisted of coals
• T517 In a TRICE
• T542 He is TRUE BLUE (Coventry blue)
• T565 It is as true as TRUTH itself
• T590 The TRUTH, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth
• T591 TRUTH will come to light (break out)
• T603 The more you stir a TURD (it) the more (worse) it stinks
• T607 A TURD in his teeth
• T635 In the TWINKLING of an eye
• U23 USE is all
• V82 VIRTUE is more important than blood
• V95 The VOICE of the people is the voice of God
• W21 To swear WALSINGHAM
• W138 To work upon one (anything) like WAX
• W142 I am for which WAY the staff falls
• W165 This is the WAY (He is brought) to Beggar's Bush
• W235 There goes the WEDGE where the beetle¹ drives it
• W299 A WHETSTONE cannot itself cut but yet it makes tools cut
• W314 As good never a WHITT as never the better
• W408 WIN it and wear it
• W412 As wavering (changeable, fickle, inconstant) as the WIND
• W419 Is the WIND in that door (corner)?
• W421 It is an ill (evil) WIND that blows no man good (to good)
• W422 Keep (Save) your WIND (breath) to cool your pottage (porridge, broth)
• W432 To go down the WIND
• W433 To grind with every WIND
• W434 To have one in the WIND
• W441 What WIND blew (brought) you hither?
• W461 Good WINE makes good blood
• W498 To clip one's WINGS
• W522 Who weens himself wise, WISDOM wots him a fool
• W549 He has more WIT in his little finger than you have in your whole hand (body)
• W575 He is at his WIT's end
• W581 He lives by his WITS
• W583 To be frightened (scared) out of one's WITS (five wits and seven senses)
• W616 A WOLF (fox) may change his hair but not his heart (nature, malice)
• W621 The WOLVES saw him first
• W652 A WOMAN has nine lives, like a cat
• W658 A WOMAN, like a German clock, is still¹ repairing (never goes true)
• W681 All WOMEN may be won
• W682 Choose neither WOMEN nor linen by candle-light (candle)
• W688 The more WOMEN look in their glass the less they look to their house
• W701 WOMEN are great talkers
• W722 WOMEN will have the last word
• W723 WOMEN will have their wills
• W728 A WONDER lasts but nine days
• W731 WOO, wed, and bed (wear) her
• W751 As warm as WOOL
• W764 He will have the last WORD though he talk bilk for it
• W774 To speak a cold (cool) WORD with one
• W793 Fair WORDS hurt not the mouth (tongue)
• W820 Not WORDS but deeds
• W825 To eat one's WORDS
• W827 Two WORDS to a bargain
• W873 I hate no one but love all the WORLD
• W923 The WORTH of a thing is as it is esteemed (valued)
• Y4 Peradventure YEA peradventure nay