folksy_idioms/data/classified_proverbs.csv

1	proverb	valid	meta_template	notes
2	A big wife and a big barn, will never do a man any harm.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people/roles (wife, man). About social roles and marriage.
3	A merry companion is music on a journey.	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (companion). About social relationships.
4	A false friend and a shadow stay only while the sun shines.	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (friend). About human character/loyalty.
5	All is fair in love and war, but friendship there is truth.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (love, war, friendship, truth). No concrete swappable nouns.
6	A clock will run without watching it.	FALSE	NONE	Only one concrete noun (clock). Meaning is about autonomy/trust, not object relationships.
7	A good neighbor, a found treasure!	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (neighbor). About social relationships.
8	A friend to everyone is a friend to nobody.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people/roles (friend). About human social behavior.
9	A small leak will sink a great ship.	TRUE	causal_chain	Small defect (leak) cascades to big consequence (ship sinking). Nouns swappable: a small crack will collapse a great wall. A=leak, B=ship.
10	A living dog is better than a dead lion.	FALSE	NONE	Meaning depends on the cultural symbolism of dog (lowly) vs lion (noble). Swapping nouns breaks the metaphor about humility vs pride.
11	A good wife is the best household furniture.	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (wife). About social roles.
12	A pebble and a diamond are alike to a blind man.	FALSE	NONE	Primary actor is a person (blind man). About human perception/disability. Nouns aren't freely swappable without the specific blindness context.
13	An arrogant bug is a cocky roach.	TRUE	false_equivalence	A=arrogant bug, B=cocky roach. Both insects, differ in specificity. A {A} is just a {B} with {P}. Nouns swappable: a fancy hat is a decorated cap.
14	Better an hour early and stand and wait than a moment behind time.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (time, punctuality). No concrete swappable nouns.
15	Better a dollar earned than ten inherited.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (earning vs inheriting). Only one concrete noun type (dollar). About human work ethic.
16	Better to ask twice than lose your way once.	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (asking, navigation). No concrete nouns to swap.
17	Better bowlegs than no legs at all.	FALSE	NONE	About human body parts. Not about object relationships. Only one noun (legs).
18	Better to heaven in rags than to hell in embroidery.	FALSE	NONE	About morality and abstract concepts (heaven, hell). Religious/moral teaching.
19	Curses, like chickens, come home to roost.	FALSE	NONE	Core meaning is about abstract concept (curses/karma). Chickens are a simile vehicle, not a swappable structural noun.
20	Don't dare kiss an ugly girl, she'll tell the world about it.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people (girl). About human social behavior.
21	Don't taste every man's soup, you'll burn your mouth.	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (minding others' business). The soup is metaphor for other people's affairs.
22	Even a fish wouldn't get caught if he kept his mouth shut.	FALSE	NONE	Meaning depends on wordplay (mouth=talking). About human behavior (keeping quiet). Swapping fish breaks the pun.
23	Every donkey thinks itself worthy of standing with the king's horses.	FALSE	NONE	About human pride/arrogance. King is a social role. The animals represent social hierarchy.
24	Every path has a puddle.	FALSE	NONE	Only two nouns but meaning is about life's difficulties. Metaphorical, not about physical path-puddle relationship.
25	Early ripe, early rotten.	TRUE	causal_chain	Quick ripening leads to quick rotting. Swappable: early bloom, early wilt. A=ripeness, B=rottenness. Physical process chain.
26	Every field looks green from a distance, even a cemetery.	FALSE	NONE	Meaning is about human perception and illusion (grass-is-greener). Cemetery adds dark humor that breaks on swap.
27	Everybody lays his load on the willing horse.	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (exploiting willing people). Horse represents a person. Primary subject is people.
28	Fools use bets for arguments.	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is people/role (fools). About human behavior.
29	He who holds the ladder is as bad as the thief.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people/roles (thief, accomplice). About morality and complicity.
30	If you come to the end of your rope -- tie a knot in it and hang on.	FALSE	NONE	Rope is metaphor for endurance/patience. About human perseverance, not rope mechanics.
31	If you are always dwelling in trouble, change your address.	FALSE	NONE	Wordplay on dwelling/address. About human behavior and attitude.
32	If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns include people/roles (beggars). About abstract concept (wishing). Depends on specific wish-horse wordplay.
33	"IF's" and "But's" butter no bread.	FALSE	NONE	Depends on wordplay (ifs and buts as abstract concepts). Only one concrete noun (bread).
34	It takes a good many shovelfuls to bury the truth.	FALSE	NONE	Core meaning is about abstract concept (truth). Shovelfuls are metaphorical.
35	It is better to have a hen tomorrow than an egg today.	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	Compares small-now vs big-later using concrete nouns. Swappable: better a tree tomorrow than a seed today. A=hen (big), B=egg (small). Time/value mismatch.
36	Living is like licking honey off a thorn.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (living/life). The honey-thorn image is metaphor for life's bittersweet nature.
37	Listen at the keyhole and you'll hear news of yourself.	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (eavesdropping). Primary subject is a person.
38	Lend your money and lose your friend.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people/roles (friend) and abstract (money). About social relationships.
39	Man is the only animal that can be skinned more than once.	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person (man). About human gullibility.
40	Must is a hard nut to crack.	FALSE	NONE	Depends on wordplay: 'must' (obligation) as a nut. Breaks on noun swap.
41	No matter how high a bird flies, it has to come down for water.	FALSE	NONE	About human pride/ambition. Bird represents a person. Meaning is about humility.
42	Nothing dries faster than a tear.	FALSE	NONE	Only one concrete noun (tear). About human emotions and their transience.
43	Nothing is gained by having one donkey call another "Long Ears!"	FALSE	NONE	About human hypocrisy (pot calling kettle). Animals represent people.
44	Never stop the plough to catch a mouse.	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	Big important task (ploughing) vs tiny distraction (mouse). Swappable: never halt the ship to chase a gull. A=plough (big task), B=mouse (small distraction).
45	No piper ever suited all ears.	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (piper). About inability to please everyone.
46	One who thinks he can live without others is mistaken but he who thinks others cannot live without him are more mistaken.	FALSE	NONE	Entirely about people and social relationships. No concrete nouns.
47	One eyewitness is better than ten hearsays.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (testimony, evidence). Primary noun is a person/role (eyewitness).
48	One does not put beauty in a kettle.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (beauty). Only one concrete noun (kettle).
49	Promises won't butter any bread.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (promises). Only one concrete noun (bread). About human unreliability.
50	Pleasant hours fly fast.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (time, pleasure). No concrete nouns.
51	Sickness comes in haste and goes at leisure.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (sickness). No concrete swappable nouns.
52	Swallows and sparrows cannot understand the ambitions of swans.	FALSE	NONE	Animals represent social classes of people. About human ambition and hierarchy.
53	The sun doesn't shine on the same dog's back every day.	FALSE	NONE	About fortune/luck changing. Dog represents a person. Metaphorical.
54	The best patch is of the same cloth.	TRUE	material_transformation	Repair material should match original material. Swappable: the best weld is of the same metal. A=patch, B=cloth. About matching materials.
55	The stable wears out a horse more than a road.	FALSE	NONE	About inactivity being worse than activity. Horse represents a person. Metaphorical lesson about human laziness.
56	When the well is dry, you know the worth of water.	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Absence reveals value. Swappable: when the pantry is bare, you know the worth of bread. A=well (container), B=water (resource).
57	When one has seen the bear in the woods, he hears his growl in every bush.	FALSE	NONE	About human psychology (fear, paranoia). The person is the primary subject.
58	Weeds need no sowing.	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Unwanted things propagate without effort. Swappable: rust needs no invitation. States an obvious property of weeds as wisdom. A=weeds, B=sowing.
59	You can't anymore give away something you ain't got than you can come back from someplace you haven't been.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (possession, presence). No concrete swappable nouns. Philosophical truism.
60	You never know the length of a snake until it is dead.	FALSE	NONE	About judging things (people) only in hindsight. Snake metaphorically represents a threat/person. Meaning is about human judgment.
61	You can't tell the depth of the well by the length of the handle on the pump.	TRUE	uncategorized	Surface measurement doesn't reveal hidden depth. Swappable: can't tell the weight of a chest by the size of its lock. Concrete nouns: well, handle, pump.
62	You can't put out old heads on young shoulders.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people/body parts (heads, shoulders). About human wisdom and youth.
63	Do a little well and you do much.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (quality vs quantity of effort). No concrete nouns.
64	A bad broom leaves a dirty room.	TRUE	causal_chain	Defective tool leads to poor result. Swappable: a dull axe leaves a ragged log. A=bad broom, B=dirty room. Concrete cause-effect.
65	They must hunger in frost who will not work in heat.	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (work ethic). Primary subject is people. About consequences of laziness.
66	A cracked plate will last as long as a sound one.	TRUE	uncategorized	Imperfect object still functions. Swappable: a dented bucket holds as much as a new one. Concrete nouns: plate. About physical durability.
67	Water run by will does not turn a mill.	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Resource past the mechanism can't power it. Swappable: steam vented out does not drive a piston. A=water, B=mill. Physical cause-effect.
68	Every pea helps to fill the pod.	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Small contributions add up to fill the container. Swappable: every brick helps to build the wall. A=pea, B=pod.
69	One watch set right will do to set many by.	TRUE	uncategorized	One correct reference calibrates others. Swappable: one true plumb line will straighten many walls. Concrete nouns: watch.
70	Children and fools tell the truth.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people/roles (children, fools). About human behavior.
71	Little children step on one's lap; tall ones tread on one's heart.	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people (children). About parenting and emotional pain.
72	He who rides slowly gets just as far, only it akes a little longer.	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (patience). Primary subject is a person.
73	Bad breath is better than no breath at all.	FALSE	NONE	Wordplay on breath (breathing vs bad breath). About being alive. Depends on pun.
74	Too many square meals make too many round people.	FALSE	NONE	Wordplay on square (meals) and round (people/overweight). Depends on pun. About human behavior.
75	When you feel all steamed up, remember the tea kettle -- it is always up to its neck in hot water and it still sings.	FALSE	NONE	Wordplay on steamed up and hot water. About human emotions (anger). Metaphorical.
76	You can't make cookies when you haven't got the dough.	FALSE	NONE	Wordplay on dough (money vs baking ingredient). Meaning depends on pun.
77	A bad penny always turns up	FALSE	NONE	Penny represents an unwanted person. About human social dynamics. Metaphorical.
78	A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	Certain small possession vs uncertain larger quantity. Swappable: a fish on the hook is worth five in the stream. A=bird in hand, B=two in bush.
79	A dog is a man's best friend	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person (man). About human-animal social bond. Not swappable structurally.
80	A mill cannot grind with the water that is past	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Missed resource can't power the mechanism. Swappable: an oven can't bake with the heat already gone. A=mill, B=water. Same as #66 variant.
81	A miss is as good as a mile	FALSE	NONE	Wordplay on miss/mile. About abstract concept (near-misses). Depends on pun.
82	A rolling stone gathers no moss	TRUE	uncategorized	Moving object doesn't accumulate surface growth. Swappable: a spinning wheel collects no dust. A=stone, B=moss.
83	A watched man never plays	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person (man). About human behavior under surveillance.
84	A watched pot/kettle never boils	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Observation seems to delay the process. Swappable: a watched oven never heats. A=pot/kettle, B=boiling. Concrete object-process relationship.
85	All hands on deck/to the pump	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns are people (hands=crew). About human collective effort.
86	All is grist that comes to the mill	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Everything entering the mechanism gets processed. Swappable: all is fuel that enters the furnace. A=grist, B=mill.
87	An apple a day keeps the doctor away	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun includes a person/role (doctor). About health advice. Culturally specific to apple.
88	An army marches on its stomach	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is people/collective (army). About human logistics and morale.
89	Any port in a storm	FALSE	NONE	Port/storm are metaphors for refuge/crisis. About human desperation and lowered standards.
90	As you sow so shall you reap	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (actions and consequences). The sowing/reaping is metaphorical for moral behavior.
91	Barking dogs seldom bite	FALSE	NONE	Dogs represent threatening people. About human behavior (bluster vs action).
92	Before setting out on a mission of vengeance, dig two graves	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (revenge). Primary subject is a person. Abstract moral teaching.
93	Beggars cannot be choosers	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (beggars). About human social position.
94	Big fish eat little fish	FALSE	NONE	Fish represent people in power dynamics. About human hierarchy and exploitation.
95	Birds of a feather (flock together)	FALSE	NONE	Birds represent people. About human social grouping by similarity.
96	Buy cheap, buy twice	FALSE	NONE	No concrete swappable nouns. About abstract purchasing behavior.
97	Calm seas never made a good sailor	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (sailor). About human character development through adversity.
98	Coffee and love taste best when hot (Ethiopian proverb)	FALSE	NONE	Mixes concrete (coffee) with abstract (love). About human emotion. Not freely swappable.
99	Cold hands, warm heart	FALSE	NONE	About human body/character. Primary nouns are body parts. About personality.
100	Criss-cross, applesauce	FALSE	NONE	Children's rhyme, not a wisdom proverb. No meaningful structure to classify.
101	Cross the stream where it is shallowest	TRUE	uncategorized	Take the easiest path through an obstacle. Swappable: climb the wall where it is lowest. A=stream, property=shallowest. Concrete spatial relationship.
102	Cut your coat according to your cloth	TRUE	material_transformation	Output must match available input material. Swappable: shape your pot according to your clay. A=coat, B=cloth. Material constraint.
103	Do not carry coals to Newcastle	FALSE	NONE	Meaning depends on specific cultural knowledge (Newcastle = coal town). Breaks on noun swap without the cultural reference.
104	Do not keep a dog and bark yourself	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (delegation). Dog represents a subordinate/servant. About social roles.
105	Do not make a mountain out of a mole hill	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	Inflating small thing (molehill) to large thing (mountain). Swappable: don't make an ocean out of a puddle. A=mountain, B=molehill.
106	Do not put the cart before the horse	TRUE	uncategorized	Sequence/order matters for physical function. Swappable: don't put the roof before the walls. A=cart, B=horse. Concrete ordering relationship.
107	Do not put too many irons in the fire	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	Too many items overwhelm the resource. Swappable: don't put too many pots on the stove. A=irons, B=fire. Concrete capacity limit.
108	Do not put new wine into old bottles	TRUE	material_transformation	New content incompatible with old container. Swappable: don't pour hot soup into a cold jar. A=new wine, B=old bottles. Material mismatch.
109	Do not teach your Grandmother to suck eggs	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (Grandmother). About human presumption and social roles.
110	Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person (baby). About discarding the valuable with the worthless. Baby is not a swappable object.
111	Don't take any wooden nickels	FALSE	NONE	About human gullibility/deception. The wooden nickels are metaphor for scams.
112	East is east, and west is west (and never the twain shall meet)	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (cultural differences). Directions are not concrete swappable nouns in meaningful way.
113	Even a worm will turn	FALSE	NONE	Worm represents a downtrodden person. About human behavior (fighting back when pushed too far).
114	Every dog has his day	FALSE	NONE	Dog represents a person. About human fortune and fairness. Abstract.
115	Every stick has two ends	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Every tool/situation has two aspects. Swappable: every blade has two edges. A=stick, B=two ends. States obvious physical property as wisdom.
116	Feed a cold, starve a fever	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (illness). Medical folk advice. Cold and fever aren't concrete swappable nouns.
117	Fight fire with fire	FALSE	NONE	Only one concrete noun repeated (fire). About strategy/approach. Metaphorical.
118	Fine words butter no parsnips	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (words/promises). Similar to #48. Only one concrete noun (parsnips).
119	First come, first served	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (queuing/priority). No concrete nouns.
120	Fish and guests smell after three days	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun includes people (guests). About human social behavior (overstaying welcome).
121	For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the man was lost	TRUE	causal_chain	Classic cascading loss. Small item (nail) -> shoe -> horse -> man. Swappable: for want of a rivet the plate was lost. A=nail, B=shoe, C=horse, D=man.
122	Forewarned is forearmed	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (knowledge, preparation). No concrete nouns. Wordplay on fore-.
123	Give a dog a bad name and hang him	FALSE	NONE	Dog represents a person. About human reputation and social judgment.
124	Give a man rope enough and he will hang himself	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person (man). About human self-destruction.
125	Good fences make good neighbours	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun includes people (neighbours). About human social boundaries.
126	Half a loaf is better than no bread	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	Partial resource better than none. Swappable: half a bucket is better than no water. A=half loaf, B=no bread.
127	He that goes a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person (he). About human behavior (debt).
128	Horses for courses	FALSE	NONE	About matching suitability. Depends on wordplay (horses/courses rhyme). Breaks on swap.
129	If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there would be no work for tinkers	FALSE	NONE	Depends on wordplay (ifs and ands/pots and pans). Primary noun includes person/role (tinkers).
130	If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas[13]	FALSE	NONE	Depends on wordplay. About abstract concepts (excuses). Cultural reference (Christmas).
131	If it ain't broke, don't fix it	FALSE	NONE	No specific concrete nouns (uses generic 'it'). About abstract concept of leaving well enough alone.
132	If it were a snake, it would have bit you	FALSE	NONE	About human inattention. Snake is metaphor for something obvious. About behavior.
133	If the shoe fits, wear it	FALSE	NONE	Shoe is metaphor for criticism/description. About accepting truth about oneself. Meaning breaks on noun swap.
134	If wishes were horses, beggars would ride	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun includes people/roles (beggars). About abstract concept (wishing). Duplicate of #31.
135	If you can't run with the horses, get off the track	FALSE	NONE	Horses represent competitors/people. About human ability and knowing your limits.
136	If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen	FALSE	NONE	Kitchen/heat are metaphors for workplace pressure. About human resilience. Meaning is social, not physical.
137	If you give a mouse a cookie, he'll always ask for a glass of milk	FALSE	NONE	Mouse represents a person (from children's book). About human behavior (escalating demands). Anthropomorphized animal.
138	If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas[a] (James Sandford, The Garden of Pleasure)	TRUE	conditional_animal_wisdom	Association with X gives you X's problems. Swappable: if you sleep in the barn, you'll wake with hay. A=dogs, B=fleas. Animal behavior encodes consequence.
139	If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys	FALSE	NONE	Peanuts/monkeys represent wages/workers. About human employment and compensation. Metaphorical.
140	If you play with fire, you will get burned	FALSE	NONE	Only one concrete noun (fire). About human recklessness. Too metaphorical to swap meaningfully.
141	In for a penny, in for a pound	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (commitment escalation). Penny/pound represent stakes. Metaphorical.
142	(March comes) in like a lion, (and goes) out like a lamb	FALSE	NONE	About weather/seasons. Animals are simile vehicles, not structural nouns. Culturally specific to March.
143	It ain't over till the fat lady sings	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person (fat lady). Cultural reference (opera). About human patience.
144	It is no use crying over spilt milk	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Can't undo a spillage. Swappable: no use sweeping up shattered glass. A=spilt milk. Irreversible physical event.
145	It is the early bird that gets the worm	TRUE	conditional_animal_wisdom	First arrival gets the resource. Swappable: the early cat catches the mouse. A=early bird, B=worm. Animal behavior encodes timing lesson.
146	It is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease	TRUE	uncategorized	Malfunctioning part draws maintenance attention. Swappable: the leaky pipe gets the patch. A=squeaky wheel, B=grease.
147	It never rains but it pours	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (misfortune clustering). Rain is metaphorical. Only one type of noun.
148	It takes a thief to catch a thief	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is a person/role (thief). About human knowledge/expertise.
149	Islands depend on reeds, just as reeds depend on islands (Myanmar proverbs)[citation needed]	TRUE	uncategorized	Mutual dependency between two physical things. Swappable: walls depend on mortar, just as mortar depends on walls. A=islands, B=reeds.
150	Keep your powder dry (Valentine Blacker, 1834 from Oliver's Advice)[16]	FALSE	NONE	Only one concrete noun (powder). About human preparedness. Military metaphor.
151	Kill two birds with one stone.	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	One resource accomplishes multiple tasks. Swappable: catch two fish with one net. A=two birds, B=one stone. Efficiency through concrete objects.
152	The last drop makes the cup run over	TRUE	causal_chain	Final small addition causes overflow. Swappable: the last straw breaks the beam. A=last drop, B=cup overflow.
153	Laugh before breakfast, cry before supper	FALSE	NONE	About human emotion and superstition. No concrete swappable nouns (laugh/cry are actions about people).
154	Learn a language, and you will avoid a war (Arab proverb)	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concepts (language, war, communication). About human behavior.
155	Let sleeping dogs lie	FALSE	NONE	Dogs represent dormant problems/people. About human caution and social dynamics.
156	Let well alone	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept. No concrete nouns at all.
157	Little pitchers have big ears	FALSE	NONE	Wordplay: pitchers have 'ears' (handles) = children eavesdrop. Depends on pun.
158	Little strokes fell great oaks	TRUE	causal_chain	Many small actions achieve a big result. Swappable: small drops fill great barrels. A=little strokes, B=great oaks.
159	Make hay while the sun shines	TRUE	uncategorized	Process resource while conditions allow. Swappable: dry the salt while the wind blows. A=hay, B=sun. Concrete time-dependent process.
160	Many a mickle makes a muckle	FALSE	NONE	Depends on wordplay (mickle/muckle are archaic words). About abstract accumulation.
161	March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb	FALSE	NONE	Duplicate of #141. About weather/seasons. Animals are simile vehicles.
162	Milking the bull	TRUE	futile_preparation	Attempting to extract product from wrong source. Swappable: shearing the pig. A=milking, B=bull. Wrong-source futility with concrete nouns.
163	Money demands care, you abuse it and it disappears – Rashida Costa	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (money management). About human behavior.
164	Never cast a clout until May be out	FALSE	NONE	Culturally specific (May=month or hawthorn). About human clothing choices. Breaks on swap.
165	Never look a gift horse in the mouth	FALSE	NONE	Meaning depends on specific horse-inspection practice (teeth = age). About human ingratitude. Culturally specific.
166	No friends but the mountains[24]	FALSE	NONE	About human isolation and social relationships (Kurdish proverb). Friends are people.
167	Oil and water do not mix	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Two incompatible substances won't combine. Swappable: sand and mercury do not blend. A=oil, B=water. Physical property stated as wisdom.
168	One hand washes the other	FALSE	NONE	Hands represent people. About human reciprocity and cooperation.
169	One kind word can warm three winter months	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (kindness). Primary subject is human speech/emotion.
170	One man's meat is another man's poison	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns include people (man). About human subjective preference.
171	One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb	FALSE	NONE	About human punishment/justice. Person is implied primary subject. Sheep/lamb represent the crime's magnitude.
172	One swallow does not make a summer	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Single instance doesn't establish a pattern. Swappable: one raindrop does not make a flood. A=swallow, B=summer. Concrete sign vs full phenomenon.
173	One year's seeding makes seven years weeding	TRUE	causal_chain	Small initial neglect creates prolonged cleanup. Swappable: one season's rust makes seven seasons' sanding. A=seeding, B=weeding. Concrete agricultural cause-effect.
174	Out of the frying pan and into the fire	TRUE	uncategorized	Escape from one danger into a worse one. Swappable: out of the puddle and into the lake. A=frying pan, B=fire. Concrete escalation of same type.
175	Penny wise and pound foolish	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	Careful with small amount, wasteful with large. Swappable: thimble-wise and barrel-foolish. A=penny (small), B=pound (large).
176	Penny, Penny. Makes many.	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (accumulation of money). Only one concrete noun. Too vague.
177	Putting the cart before the horse	TRUE	uncategorized	Sequence/order matters for physical function. Swappable: putting the roof before the walls. A=cart, B=horse. Duplicate of #105.
178	Red sky at night shepherd's delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun includes person/role (shepherd). Weather prediction based on culturally specific observation. Breaks on swap.
179	Risk it for a biscuit.[27]	FALSE	NONE	Depends on wordplay/rhyme (risk/biscuit). About human behavior (risk-taking). Only one concrete noun.
180	See a pin and pick it up, all the day you will have good luck; See a pin and let it lay, bad luck you will have all day	FALSE	NONE	About superstition. Only one concrete noun (pin). About human behavior and luck.
181	Set a thief to catch a thief	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun is person/role (thief). Duplicate concept of #147. About human expertise.
182	Softly, softly, catchee monkey	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (patience, strategy). Monkey represents a goal/person. Colonial-era idiom.
183	Speak as you find	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (honesty). No concrete nouns.
184	Speak of the devil and he shall/is sure/will appear	FALSE	NONE	About abstract/supernatural concept. About human social coincidence.
185	Strike while the iron is hot	TRUE	uncategorized	Act on material while conditions allow. Swappable: pour while the wax is soft. A=iron, condition=hot. Concrete time-dependent action. Similar to #158.
186	(A) swarm in May is worth a load of hay; a swarm in June is worth a silver spoon; but a swarm in July is not worth a fly	FALSE	NONE	Depends on specific month-value associations and rhyme scheme. Culturally specific beekeeping knowledge. Breaks on swap.
187	Take care of the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves	TRUE	causal_chain	Attention to small units accumulates to large result. Swappable: mind the drops and the barrels fill themselves. A=pennies, B=pounds.
188	The apple does not fall/never falls far from the tree	FALSE	NONE	About human heredity/behavior (children resemble parents). Apple/tree represent parent-child. About people.
189	The best-laid schemes of mice and men often go awry	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun includes people (men). About human planning and failure. Literary reference (Burns).
190	The bread never falls but on its buttered side	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Things go wrong in the worst way. Swappable: the toast always lands jam-side down. A=bread, B=buttered side. Physical (Murphy's law with concrete nouns).
191	The cobbler always wears the worst shoes	TRUE	ironic_deficiency	Producer of X lacks X. Swappable: the baker's family eats stale bread. A=cobbler, X=shoes. Classic ironic deficiency.
192	The early bird catches the worm	TRUE	conditional_animal_wisdom	First arrival gets the resource. Swappable: the early cat catches the mouse. A=early bird, B=worm. Duplicate of #144.
193	It is the last straw that breaks the camel's back	TRUE	causal_chain	Final small addition causes collapse. Swappable: the last grain tips the scale. A=last straw, B=camel's back.
194	The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing	FALSE	NONE	Hands represent people/departments. About human organizational dysfunction.
195	The Moon is made of green cheese	FALSE	NONE	Deliberate absurdity/irony. About human gullibility. Not a wisdom structure.
196	The more the merrier	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept. No concrete nouns. About human social preference.
197	The nail that sticks out gets hammered down	FALSE	NONE	Nail represents a nonconformist person. About human social conformity pressure (Japanese cultural proverb).
198	The old wooden spoon beats me down	FALSE	NONE	Primary subject is a person (me). About human experience/punishment.
199	The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot	TRUE	ironic_deficiency	Producer of X's family lacks X. Swappable: the brewer's household drinks water. A=shoemaker, X=shoes. Classic ironic deficiency.
200	The squeaky wheel gets the grease	TRUE	uncategorized	Malfunctioning part gets maintenance attention. Swappable: the leaky pipe gets the solder. A=squeaky wheel, B=grease. Duplicate of #145.
201	The squeaky wheel gets the oil	TRUE	uncategorized	Malfunctioning part gets maintenance. Variant of #145/#199. Swappable: the rusty hinge gets the lubricant. A=squeaky wheel, B=oil.
202	The streets are paved with gold	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept (opportunity, wealth). Metaphorical. Not about physical streets.
203	The stupid monkey knows not to eat the banana skin	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (common sense). Monkey represents a person. 'Even a fool knows X.'
204	There are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream	FALSE	NONE	About human problem-solving (multiple approaches). Cat represents the problem. Violent metaphor.
205	There are always more fish in the sea	FALSE	NONE	Fish represent people (romantic partners). About human relationships and moving on.
206	There is many a good tune played on an old fiddle	FALSE	NONE	Fiddle represents an older person. About human capability despite age. Metaphorical.
207	Too many cooks spoil the broth	FALSE	NONE	Primary nouns include people/roles (cooks). About human coordination failure and too many people involved.
208	Too much rain makes a flood	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Excess of input creates overflow. Swappable: too much heat makes a fire. A=rain, B=flood. Physical cause-effect.
209	Two birds with one stone	TRUE	proportional_mismatch	One resource accomplishes multiple goals. Shortened duplicate of #150. Swappable: two fish with one net. A=two birds, B=one stone.
210	Use it or lose it	FALSE	NONE	About abstract concept. No concrete nouns. About human behavior.
211	United we bargain; divided we beg	FALSE	NONE	About human collective behavior (labor/politics). No concrete nouns.
212	Walk softly but carry a big stick (26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, 1900 in letter relating an old African proverb)[36]	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (diplomacy, power). Stick is metaphor for military/political power.
213	Walnuts and pears you plant for your heirs	FALSE	NONE	Primary noun includes people (heirs). About human generational planning. Depends on specific slow-growing trees.
214	What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander	FALSE	NONE	Goose/gander represent people (often gendered). About human fairness and equal treatment.
215	What the eye does not see (the heart does not grieve over)	FALSE	NONE	About human psychology. Eye/heart are body parts representing perception/emotion.
216	When it rains it pours	FALSE	NONE	Duplicate of #146. About abstract concept (misfortune clustering).
217	When the cat is away, the mice will play	FALSE	NONE	Cat/mice represent authority figure and subordinates. About human behavior when unsupervised.
218	Who will bell the cat?	FALSE	NONE	About human courage and collective action. Cat represents danger. People are the implied subject.
219	Why keep a dog and bark yourself?	FALSE	NONE	Duplicate concept of #103. About human delegation. Dog represents subordinate.
220	You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink	FALSE	NONE	Horse represents a person. About human stubbornness and free will.
221	You cannot burn a candle at both ends.	FALSE	NONE	Candle represents human energy/time. About overwork and exhaustion. Metaphorical.
222	You cannot make a silk purse from a sow's ear	TRUE	material_transformation	Can't make quality output from poor input. Swappable: can't make a gold ring from a lead slug. A=silk purse, B=sow's ear.
223	You cannot make bricks without straw	TRUE	material_transformation	Can't produce output without essential input material. Swappable: can't bake bread without flour. A=bricks, B=straw.
224	You cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds	FALSE	NONE	Hare/hounds represent opposing human factions. About human loyalty and picking sides.
225	(You cannot) teach an old dog new tricks	FALSE	NONE	Dog represents a person. About human adaptability and age. Metaphorical.
226	You cannot unscramble eggs	TRUE	tautological_wisdom	Irreversible transformation can't be undone. Swappable: you cannot unbake bread. A=eggs, B=scrambling. States irreversibility as wisdom.
227	You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar	FALSE	NONE	Flies represent people. Honey/vinegar represent kind vs harsh approaches. About human persuasion.
228	You pay your dime and you takes your chances	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (gambling, risk). Only one concrete noun (dime). About accepting consequences.
229	You scratch my back and I will scratch yours	FALSE	NONE	About human reciprocity. Primary subjects are people. Back-scratching is metaphor for favors.
230	You've got to separate the wheat from the chaff	TRUE	material_transformation	Must sort valuable from worthless material. Swappable: sift the gold from the sand. A=wheat, B=chaff.
231	You've made your bed and you must lie in/on it	FALSE	NONE	About human behavior (accepting consequences). Bed-making is metaphor for choices. About personal responsibility.