it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog en · X
Meanings
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(obsolete, rare) If a person is determined to punish or blame someone, they will find a way or a reason to do so.
The ancient Prouerbe will be well effected, A Staffe is quickly found to beat a Dogge.
1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:For all this, however, poor Tom smarted in the flesh; for though Thwackum had been inhibited to exercise his arm on the foregoing account, yet, as the proverb says, It is easy to find a stick, &c. So was it easy to find a rod; and, indeed, the not being able to find one was the only thing which could have kept Thwackum any long time from chastising poor Jones.
1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book V:
Relateds
Translations (4)
pl jak się chce psa uderzyć, kij się znajdzie (Translations) · cmn 欲加之罪，何患無辭 /欲加之罪 (Translations) · cs kdo chce psa bít, hůl si vždycky najde (Translations) · cmn 何患无辞 (Translations)