Adages, the oral transfer of knowledge between generations
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Here you will find a list of over seven hundred adages people use everyday to improve their lives. An adage is a short saying that transmits wisdom. Before people knew how to read and write, they passed knowledge by word of mouth. The word adage comes from Latin adagium (saying), formed by the prefix ad- (to, toward, about) and agium (from the verb agio, I say).
;- Out of sight, out of mind. (Thank you: SdLH)
- Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
- Paranoids are like snails that carry their houses on their backs. (Thank you: Shanker Suman)
- Pardon me, I beg thee for a loaf of bread; neatly sliced end to end; with a coat of butter; for the toast of. (Beggars can be choosers - Thank you: Shanker Suman)
- Patience and fortitude and things will come your way. (Have confidence in the outcome. - Thank you: Nellie B)
- Penny for your thoughts.
- People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. { Thank you: George A Ramos }
- Perfect practice makes perfect. (Thank you: Lei Ann)
- Phony as a two dollar bill. (Sneaky person)
- Picture perfect. (Thank you: Juju)
- Pigs get fed, while hogs get slaughtered. (The greedy always fall victim in the end. - Thank you: Manni)
- Play cat and mouse. (Repeatedly tricking someone, so they make a mistake.)
- Playing one's card close to the one's chest. (Being secretive, not letting your opponents see what you got.)
- Politicians are like wet saddles. Both of them chap my ass. (Using a wet saddle on a horse will chafe your posterior. - Thank you: Paul N)
- Positive Pauly (Positive person - Thank you: Benny)
- Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. (When given a little power some people will abuse it... When given a lot of power most people will abuse it. - Thank you: karen12)
- Practice makes perfect.
- Precious things come in small packages.
- Pretty is as pretty does. (Thank you: Barb )
- Pulchritude Possesses Solely Cutaneous Profundity, or put simply: Beauty is only skin deep (Thank you: Staralfur)
- Put Up or Shut Up. (Thank you: Carolyn)
- Put your ducks in a row. (Make sure you have all you need before you make your presentation. - Thank you: Nicole)
- Put your money where your mouth is. (Thank you: Jerry)
- Quitters never prosper. (Once you quit something, you'll keep failing at it. - Thank you: h7opolo)
- Quitters never win and winners never quit! (Thank you: Buzz, from Hudson, WI)
Total: 816
 
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