proverb en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈpɹɑˌvɝb/ (General-American)
- /ˈpɹɒvɜːb/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Old French proverbe, from Latin proverbium.
Meanings
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A commonly used sentence expressing popular wisdom.
As a Yiddish proverb has it: Badarf men hunik ven tsuker iz zis? Who needs honey when sugar is sweet?
2007 January 26, Stefan Kanfer, “In Lower Manhattan, the Echo of the Yiddish Stage Endures”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 31 Mar 2019:Near-synonyms: aphorism, maxim, adage, saw, saying, apothegm, byword, paroemia, sententia (Latin)
The definition of a proverb is no simple matter and has occupied scholars from Ancient Greece until the present day. Lord John Russell defined the proverb as ‘the wisdom of many and the wit of one’. The celebrated Spanish writer Cervantes said that a proverb is ‘a short sentence drawn from long experience’. Generally it is accepted that a proverb is a short, pithy traditional saying, which contains some widely accepted knowledge, or which offers advice or presents a moral. This present volume also contains many phrases and sayings which are not strictly proverbs as we use the term today, although we may still think of them as such. This situation arises because, prior to the eighteenth century it was common for the term to include metaphors, similes, and descriptive epithets. […] The essence of a proverb lies in it being a ‘traditional saying’ i.e. something which has commonly passed from one generation to another by word of mouth. […] In his book On the Lessons in Proverbs (1852), Richard Chevenix Trenchard says that there is one quality of the proverb which is the most essential of all: "… popularity, acceptance and adoption on the part of the people. Without this popularity, without these suffrages and this consent of the many, no saying, however seasoned with salt, however worthy on all these accounts to have become a proverb, however fulfilling all other its conditions, can yet be esteemed as such."
2021 [1996], Colin S.K. Walker, Scottish Proverbs, Edinburgh, Scotland: Birlinn, →ISBN:
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(obsolete) Any commonly used turn of phrase expressing a metaphor, simile, or descriptive epithet.
The definition of a proverb is no simple matter and has occupied scholars from Ancient Greece until the present day. Lord John Russell defined the proverb as ‘the wisdom of many and the wit of one’. The celebrated Spanish writer Cervantes said that a proverb is ‘a short sentence drawn from long experience’. Generally it is accepted that a proverb is a short, pithy traditional saying, which contains some widely accepted knowledge, or which offers advice or presents a moral. This present volume also contains many phrases and sayings which are not strictly proverbs as we use the term today, although we may still think of them as such. This situation arises because, prior to the eighteenth century it was common for the term to include metaphors, similes, and descriptive epithets. […] The essence of a proverb lies in it being a ‘traditional saying’ i.e. something which has commonly passed from one generation to another by word of mouth. […] In his book On the Lessons in Proverbs (1852), Richard Chevenix Trenchard says that there is one quality of the proverb which is the most essential of all: "… popularity, acceptance and adoption on the part of the people. Without this popularity, without these suffrages and this consent of the many, no saying, however seasoned with salt, however worthy on all these accounts to have become a proverb, however fulfilling all other its conditions, can yet be esteemed as such."
2021 [1996], Colin S.K. Walker, Scottish Proverbs, Edinburgh, Scotland: Birlinn, →ISBN:
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(obsolete) A striking or paradoxical assertion; an obscure saying; an enigma; a parable.
His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 16:29:
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(obsolete) A familiar illustration; a subject of contemptuous reference.
Thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by word, among all nations.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 28:37:
- (obsolete) A drama exemplifying a proverb.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| proverbs | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
saw · apophthegm · mantra · paroemia · byword · gnomic saying · proverb · adage · dictum · saying · epigram · apothegm · maxim · idiom · gnome
Deriveds
apologetic proverb · proverbiology · antiproverb · proverbize · proverblike · perverb · proverbs hunt in pairs · Proverbs · proverbial
Synonyms
saw · apothegm · saying · aphorism · byword · adage · la:sententia · maxim · paroemia
Translations (180)
hy առած (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tr atasözü (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ny mwambi (phrase expressing a basic truth) · de Redensart (phrase expressing a basic truth) · la sententia (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ky макал (phrase expressing a basic truth) · la proverbium (phrase expressing a basic truth) · la adagium (phrase expressing a basic truth) · bg погово́рка (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tg зарбулмасал (phrase expressing a basic truth) · id peribahasa (phrase expressing a basic truth) · yue 箴言 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mk изрека (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ar حِكْمَة (phrase expressing a basic truth) · fi sananlasku (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sv ordspråk (phrase expressing a basic truth) · kk мақал (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ml പഴമൊഴി (phrase expressing a basic truth) · nb ordtak (phrase expressing a basic truth) · hu közmondás (phrase expressing a basic truth) · prs مَقَال (phrase expressing a basic truth) · de Sprichwort (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tk atalar sözi (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ur کَہاوَت (phrase expressing a basic truth) · prs ضَرْبُ الْمَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ta பழமொழி (phrase expressing a basic truth) · pl powiedzenie (ludowe) (phrase expressing a basic truth) · de Proverb (phrase expressing a basic truth) · fr proverbe (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ru посло́вица (phrase expressing a basic truth) · eo sentenco (phrase expressing a basic truth) · bo གཏམ་དཔེ། (phrase expressing a basic truth) · nds Snacks (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ba әйтем (phrase expressing a basic truth) · be пры́казка (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ps متل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · prs مَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · cmn 諺語 /谚语 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ba мәҡәл (phrase expressing a basic truth) · uz maqol (phrase expressing a basic truth) · my စကားပုံ (phrase expressing a basic truth) · de Denkspruch (phrase expressing a basic truth) · gu કહેવત (phrase expressing a basic truth) · fi sanonta (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mk пословица (phrase expressing a basic truth) · th สุภาษิต (phrase expressing a basic truth) · uk при́казка (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ko 격언 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · is málsháttur (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tt мәкаль (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ms peribahasa (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mt qawl (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mwr कैवत (phrase expressing a basic truth) · yi שפּריכוואָרט (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ro proverbe (phrase expressing a basic truth) · fo orðatak (phrase expressing a basic truth) · az atasözü (phrase expressing a basic truth) · cy dihareb (phrase expressing a basic truth) · pl przysłowie (phrase expressing a basic truth) · he פִּתְגָּם (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sw methali (phrase expressing a basic truth) · nn ordtak (phrase expressing a basic truth) · uk прислі́в'я (phrase expressing a basic truth) · es refrán (phrase expressing a basic truth) · hi कहावत (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tg масал (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ca refrany (phrase expressing a basic truth) · gl proverbio (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ja 格言 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · br krennlavar (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ka ანდაზა (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mr म्हण (phrase expressing a basic truth) · vo spiket (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ur ضَرْبُ الْمَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · da ordsprog (phrase expressing a basic truth) · hi ज़र्ब-उल-मसल (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ar مَقَال (phrase expressing a basic truth) · yue 諺語 /谚语 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · fo orðtak (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sq thënie (phrase expressing a basic truth) · cmn 箴言 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sh pòslovica (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mk поговорка (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tl salawikain (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ug ماقال (phrase expressing a basic truth) · km សុភាសិត (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ga seanfhocal (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ru при́сказка (phrase expressing a basic truth) · uz zarbulmasal (phrase expressing a basic truth) · la adagiō (phrase expressing a basic truth) · yi וועלטסווערטל (phrase expressing a basic truth) · be прысло́ўе (phrase expressing a basic truth) · te నానుడి (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ivv pananahan (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tk nakyl (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ht provèb (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ast proverbiu (phrase expressing a basic truth) · yi פֿאָלקסווערטל (phrase expressing a basic truth) · vo pükedavöd (phrase expressing a basic truth) · kl ussat (phrase expressing a basic truth) · hi लोकोक्ति (phrase expressing a basic truth) · eu atsotitz (phrase expressing a basic truth) · gd gnàth-fhacal (phrase expressing a basic truth) · fa-ira مَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sh по̀словица (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ps ضرب المثل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ca proverbi (phrase expressing a basic truth) · lv sakāmvārds (phrase expressing a basic truth) · nl gezegde (phrase expressing a basic truth) · fa-ira ضَرْبُ الْمَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · nds-de Spriekel (phrase expressing a basic truth) · my ဆိုထုံး (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ps مثل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · eo proverbo (phrase expressing a basic truth) · lt patarlė (phrase expressing a basic truth) · is orðskviður (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ca dita (phrase expressing a basic truth) · om mammaaksa (phrase expressing a basic truth) · kmr gotinên pêşiyan (phrase expressing a basic truth) · es proverbio (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ur مَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · uz masal (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sip ཁ་དཔེ (phrase expressing a basic truth) · pl przykazanie (phrase expressing a basic truth) · te సామెత (phrase expressing a basic truth) · lb Sprachwuert (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tr darbımesel (phrase expressing a basic truth) · lo ສຸພາສິດ (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sq proverb (phrase expressing a basic truth) · gl refrán (phrase expressing a basic truth) · az məsəl (phrase expressing a basic truth) · et vanasõna (phrase expressing a basic truth) · nl spreekwoord (phrase expressing a basic truth) · bg посло́вица (phrase expressing a basic truth) · io proverbo (phrase expressing a basic truth) · es paremia (phrase expressing a basic truth) · lv paruna (phrase expressing a basic truth) · got 𐌲𐌰𐌾𐌿𐌺𐍉 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ar مَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ce кица (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ar ضَرْبُ الْمَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · vi tục ngữ (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mn зүйр цэцэн үг (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ca parèmia (phrase expressing a basic truth) · os ӕмбисонд (phrase expressing a basic truth) · cmn 俗語 /俗语 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · grc παροιμία (phrase expressing a basic truth) · kmr gotina mezinan (phrase expressing a basic truth) · az atalar sözü (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ccp 𑄓𑄊𑄧𑄇𑄧𑄙 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · rsk присловка (phrase expressing a basic truth) · hy ասացվածք (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sl pregovor (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ko 속담 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ja 諺 (phrase expressing a basic truth) · izh sananverto (phrase expressing a basic truth) · cs přísloví (phrase expressing a basic truth) · it proverbio (phrase expressing a basic truth) · tg мақол (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ro proverb (phrase expressing a basic truth) · lo ພາສິດ (phrase expressing a basic truth) · bn প্রবাদ (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ang biword (phrase expressing a basic truth) · th ภาษิต (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ml പഴഞ്ചൊല്ല് (phrase expressing a basic truth) · te లోకోక్తి (phrase expressing a basic truth) · la paroemia (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mn зүйр үг (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mi rārangi whakataukī (phrase expressing a basic truth) · gd seanfhacal (phrase expressing a basic truth) · hi मसल (phrase expressing a basic truth) · pt provérbio (phrase expressing a basic truth) · fa-ira مَقال (phrase expressing a basic truth) · el παροιμία (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ru погово́рка (phrase expressing a basic truth) · es retraher (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ar ضَرْب مَثَل (phrase expressing a basic truth) · mr लोकोक्ती (phrase expressing a basic truth) · ug ھېكمەت (phrase expressing a basic truth) · sk príslovie (phrase expressing a basic truth)