Tag: Sayings

“You snooze, you lose.” – English proverb

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If you snooze, you lose. - English Proverb - Free English Materials For You.jpg

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Example sentences from the web:

  • John: Hey! I wanted a glass of milk too!
    Sarah: It’s too late. You snooze, you lose.
  • Isabel: Mark is so selfish, he knew I wanted to go to the show, but yesterday he bought the last ticket for himself.
    Cristina: If it was so important, why didn’t you buy the ticket before? You snooze, you lose.

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“Love is blind” – English proverb

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St. Valentine’s Day is approaching, for this reason, I decided to tell you about this proverb:

love is blind

 

I think this saying is common all around the world, but what is less known is that a research study was conducted to find out if the blindness of love was just a figurative matter. In 2004, a group of researchers of  UCL (University College London) found that feelings of love suppressed the activity of the areas of the brain that control critical thought. So guys … be careful with love be careful with love !

What’s the origin of this proverb?

This saying was first found approximatively in 1405, in Chaucer’s Merchant’s Tale:

For loue is blynd alday and may nat see.

At that time, it didn’t become a popular expression. Only later on, Shakespeare decided to use it in several of his plays making it famous and popular all around the world.

Two Gentlemen of Verona:

SPEED: Because Love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes;
or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to
have when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered!
(2.1.67-69).

 

“Every cloud has a silver lining” – English proverb

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Every cloud has a silver lining

This phrase is often said to people who are feeling down or depressed in an attempt to try and cheer them up.
Here you can read some information on this proverb: Origin of this proverb.

 
Example sentences from the web:
  • Well, I suppose it’s nice to know that every cloud has a silver lining.

  • Interview With Mexican Quake Witness (CNN, 2003):

    HARRIS: Well, actually, then, if that’s the case, this toll of only 23 deaths can — I should say — shouldn’t say only 23 deaths — but 23 deaths is actually quite a low number, considering the fact this could be a lot worse, then.
    PETERS: In fact, Mexican authorities are saying they’re quite amazed that the casualties appear to be so low at this point. They do expect them to rise, but they say — well, I guess every cloud has a silver lining. This may be that for this earthquake because previous earthquakes of this magnitude in Mexico have killed hundreds.
    HARRIS: Well, here’s hoping that silver lining gets even bigger and more pronounced there. Thank you, Gretchen Peters, thank you very much. We appreciate it. Take care. Gretchen Peters of the ” Christian Science Monitor ” talking to us from Mexico City.

  • Don’t forget that every cloud has a silver lining. The sun will shine again.

Words from the example sentences you may not know:

  • TOLL: the extent of loss, damage, suffering, etc., resulting from some action or calamity: The toll was 200 persons dead or missing.
  • CASUALTIES: loss in numerical strength through any cause, as death, wounds, sickness, capture, or desertion.
  • EARTHQUAKE: a shaking of a part of the earth’s surface that often causes great damage