English proverbs - alphabetical list P-R

English Proverbs

List of proverbs with their meaning.

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Alphabetical list - P...R

Penny wise, pound foolish.

Refers to a person who is careful about spending small amounts of money,

but not careful about spending large amounts of money.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

One should not criticize others for faults similar to one's own.

Poverty waits at the gates of idleness.

If you do not work you will not make money.

Practice makes perfect.

Doing something repeatedly is the only way to become good at it.

Practise what you preach

Do yourself what you advise others to do.

Prevention is better than cure

It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or

cure the disease later.

Pride comes before a fall.

Don't be too self-confident or proud; something may happen to make you

look foolish.

(A) problem shared is a problem halved

It is easier to deal with a problem when you discuss it with someone.

Procrastination is the thief of time

Delaying an action for too long is a waste of time.

Punctuality is the soul of business

You should always be on time for your business appointments.

Put all your eggs in one basket

Risk everything by relying on one plan (by putting all one's money in

one business).

Revenge is sweet.

There is satisfaction in returning an injury.

(A) rising tide lifts all boats.

Describes something that will be helpful to all.

(A) rolling stone gathers no moss.

If a person keeps moving from place to place, they gain neither friends nor

possessions.

Another interpretation is that, by moving often, one avoids being tied down!

Rome was not built in a day.

It takes a long time to do a job properly. You should not expect to do it quickly.

(A) rotten apple spoils the barrel.

A dishonest or immoral person can have a bad influence on a group.

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