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Proverbs: Top 30 English Proverbs and Their Meanings!

Proverbs: Top 30 English Proverbs and Their Meanings!

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English Proverbs! Following is a list of 30 famous proverbs in English with their useful meanings you need to learn to master your English fluency.

List of Proverbs

Proverb is a simple, concrete, traditional saying that expresses a truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and use formulaic language.

List of proverbs and their meanings:

  • Two wrongs don’t make a right

Meaning: When someone did something bad to you, trying to do something bad to them will only make things worse.

  • Better late than never

Meaning: It’s better if you do something later, than not do it at all.

  • A friend in need is a friend indeed

Meaning:  If someone helps you when you have problems, or you are in trouble, that person is a true friend.

  • Actions speak louder than words

Meaning:  What you do matters – not what you say.

  • Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Meaning: Everyone has their own ideas of what is beautiful.

  • Better safe than sorry

Meaning: You should always be careful, even if you think it’s not necessary.

  • Practice makes perfect

Meaning: If you want to be perfect at something, you need to practice every day.

  • Easy come, easy go

Meaning: When something, especially money, is easily got and then soon spent or lost.

famous proverbs | infographic 

English Proverbs: Top 30 Famous Proverbs and Their Meanings!

  • When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Meaning: When you are in another country, it’s better to behave like the citizens of this country.

  • A picture speaks a thousand words / A picture is worth a thousand words

Meaning: No matter what language you speak, a picture can tell you more in a few seconds than in the time spent reading a thousand words describing the same thing.

  • Don’t talk the talk if you can’t walk the walk

Meaning: Don’t brag about being able to do something, unless you actually know how to do it.

  • Great minds think alike

Meaning: Smart people usually have the same ideas. This proverb is used when someone has the same idea as you.

  • Haste makes waste

Meaning: When you try to work too quickly, you usually make mistakes.

  • If you snooze, you lose

Meaning: You have to act fast to get what you want.

  • Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.

Meaning: If you associate with bad or dishonest people, bad things will happen to you.

  • Look before you leap

Meaning: Make decisions carefully. Think about it first.

  • Measure twice, cut one

Meaning: It’s hard to change a decision, once you’ve made it.

  • Misery loves company

Meaning: People who are unhappy want to make others unhappy too.

  • First things first

Meaning: Be patient. Do the things in their correct order.

  • Honesty is the best policy

Meaning: It’s better to always tell the truth.

  • It never rains, but it pours

Meaning: Bad luck never comes alone. Bad things usually happen all together at once.

  • Love is blind

Meaning: If you love someone, you don’t notice his or her faults. You think they’re perfect.

English proverbs | infographic 

English Proverbs: Top 30 Famous Proverbs and Their Meanings!

  • Mind your own business

Meaning: Do not interfere with other people’s lives and affairs.

  • Money is the root of all evil

Meaning: Money is the cause of all problems.

  • No pain, no gain

Meaning: If you don’t work hard, you’ll never achieve your goal.

  • Seeing is believing

Meaning: People don’t often believe something, unless they see it.

  • Time is money

Meaning: The longer it takes to do something, the more costly it will be

  • What’s done is done

Meaning: You cannot change what has already happened.

  • Too many cooks spoil the broth

Meaning: If there are many people doing the same job, the result will come out to be bad.

  • Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning: Don’t assume your plans will come to fruition.

Famous Proverbs | Infographic

English Proverbs | Infographic 1

English Proverbs: Top 30 Famous Proverbs and Their Meanings!

English Proverbs | Infographic 2

Proverbs: Top 30 English Proverbs and Their Meanings! 1

Learn more about English idioms.

Unnati

Sunday 22nd of January 2023

Cool

Prakhar Singh

Saturday 17th of September 2022

It is really very good

Mohan

Saturday 17th of September 2022

It is really good.

Eleni

Monday 25th of July 2022

Your work on Idioms and proverbs is fabulous!

Expedito Lucas da Silva

Wednesday 8th of June 2022

I love the way you guys explain the mean of each idiom. Thank you.