The Penguin Dictionary of Proverbs

Whether you are looking for a few wise words of advice, like 'Least said soonest mended', some trenchant observation, such as 'You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink' or a common belief, such as 'A green Yule makes a fat churchyard', you will find them all in the newly revised and extended Penguin Dictionary of Proverbs. Entertaining and easy to use, it offers wit and wisdom to all.

* Contains over 6,000 proverbs, ancient and modern, including foreign proverbs in translation
* Concise notes explain archaic or dialect terms, supply information about origin and authorship (where relevant), and provide fascinating historical background for such well-known phrases as 'Possession is nine points of the law' or 'The greater the truth, the greater the libel'
* Individual proverbs are arranged thematically under headings such as Beauty (Beauty is only one layer), Eating (If you want your dinner, don't offend the cook), and Superstitions (Third time lucky)
* Gives further subdivisions to help readers find precise meanings, such as Friends (their value ) or Friends (their danger)
* An index of key words is supplied for complete ease of reference