Some expressions stick around for centuries — and for good reason. This collection of around 728 common English proverbs pulls together the sayings you’ve probably heard in movies, conversations, and maybe even from your grandma.
Inside the interactive table, you’ll find each proverb with a clear meaning, a realistic example sentence, easy-to-read IPA pronunciation, and a play button so you can hear it spoken aloud. When you’re ready to take the list offline, just click the PDF download button sitting below the table — it’s completely free.
Proverbs are powerful because they pack a lot of meaning into few words. Knowing them helps you sound more natural and understand cultural references. Work through a few each day, or use the search and sort features to focus on ones that match your mood.
Want to move from knowing proverbs to speaking with confidence? Our free chunk-based English lessons teach you the phrases people actually use in real conversations — not just textbook lines. Start with Lesson 1 — First Greetings, or explore the full intro to lessons if you’re looking for a guided path.
English Proverbs Quiz
Before you dive in, try the quick quiz below to see how many proverbs you already have under your belt. It’s a fun way to warm up.
English Proverbs List with Meanings
| Expression | IPA | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do not let the bastards grind you down | /doʊ nɑt lɛt ðə ˈbæstərdz ɡraɪnd ju daʊn/ | Do not allow difficult people or circumstances to defeat you. | Despite the criticism, she kept working—don't let the bastards grind you down. |
| Do not let the grass grow beneath (one's) feet | /doʊ nɑt lɛt ðə ɡræs ɡroʊ bɪˈniθ wʌnz fit/ | Do not delay; take action promptly. | He got the job offer and accepted immediately; he didn't let the grass grow beneath his feet. |
| Do not look a gift horse in the mouth | /doʊ nɑt lʊk ə ɡɪft hɔrs ɪn ðə maʊθ/ | Do not criticize a gift or find fault with something given freely. | Q: The car is old. A: It's free, so don't look a gift horse in the mouth. |
| Do not make a mountain out of a mole hill | /doʊ nɑt meɪk ə ˈmaʊntɪn aʊt əv ə moʊl hɪl/ | Do not exaggerate a minor problem. | It's just a small scratch; don't make a mountain out of a molehill. |
| Do not meet troubles half-way | /doʊ nɑt mit ˈtrʌbəlz hæf weɪ/ | Do not worry about problems before they happen. | Q: What if the deal falls through? A: Don't meet troubles half-way. |
| Do not put all your eggs in one basket | /doʊ nɑt pʊt ɔl jɔr ɛɡz ɪn wʌn ˈbæskɪt/ | Do not risk everything on a single venture. | Invest in different stocks; don't put all your eggs in one basket. |
| Do not put new wine into old bottles | /doʊ nɑt pʊt nu waɪn ˈɪntu oʊld ˈbɑtəlz/ | Do not try to force new ideas into old systems. | Using outdated software for a new app is putting new wine into old bottles. |
| Do not put the cart before the horse | /doʊ nɑt pʊt ðə kɑrt bɪˈfɔr ðə hɔrs/ | Do not do things in the wrong order. | Planning the party before setting a date is putting the cart before the horse. |
| Do not put too many irons in the fire | /doʊ nɑt pʊt tu ˈmɛni ˈaɪərnz ɪn ðə faɪər/ | Do not take on too many tasks at once. | He's juggling three projects; he has too many irons in the fire. |
| Do not rock the boat | /doʊ nɑt rɑk ðə boʊt/ | Do not disturb a stable situation. | Everyone is happy; don't rock the boat by bringing up complaints. |
| Do not shut/lock the stable door after the horse has bolted | /doʊ nɑt ʃʌt/lɑk ðə ˈsteɪbəl dɔr ˈæftər ðə hɔrs hæz ˈboʊltɪd/ | Do not take preventive action after the damage is done. | Installing a lock after the theft is shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. |
| Do not spend it all in one place | /doʊ nɑt spɛnd ɪt ɔl ɪn wʌn pleɪs/ | A humorous way to say 'don't waste all your money at once.' | Q: I won $100! A: Don't spend it all in one place. |
| Do not spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar | /doʊ nɑt spɔɪl ðə ʃɪp fɔr ə ˈheɪpərθ əv tɑr/ | Do not ruin something important by skimping on a small detail. | Not fixing the leak because it's small is spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar. |
| Do not sympathize with those who can not empathize | /doʊ nɑt ˈsɪmpəˌθaɪz wɪð ðoʊz hu kæn nɑt ˈɛmpəˌθaɪz/ | Do not feel sorry for people who are unable to understand others' feelings. | Q: He's upset that no one cares. A: Don't sympathize with those who cannot empathize. |
| Do not teach your Grandmother to suck eggs | /doʊ nɑt titʃ jɔr ˈɡrændˌmʌðər tə sʌk ɛɡz/ | Do not give advice to someone who is more experienced. | Q: Should I tell the chef how to cook? A: Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs. |
| Do not throw pearls to swine | /doʊ nɑt θroʊ pɜrlz tə swaɪn/ | Same as 'cast pearls before swine'. | Don't explain art to him; don't throw pearls to swine. |
| Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater | /doʊ nɑt θroʊ ðə ˈbeɪbi aʊt wɪð ðə ˈbæθˌwɔtər/ | Do not discard something valuable while getting rid of something undesirable. | The system has flaws, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. |
| Do not try to walk before you can crawl | /doʊ nɑt traɪ tə wɔk bɪˈfɔr ju kæn krɔl/ | Do not attempt advanced tasks before mastering the basics. | Learning calculus before arithmetic is trying to walk before you can crawl. |
| Do not upset the apple-cart | /doʊ nɑt ʌpˈsɛt ði ˈæpəl kɑrt/ | Do not disturb a stable plan or situation. | Everything is arranged; don't upset the apple-cart now. |
| Do not wash your dirty linen in public | /doʊ nɑt wɑʃ jɔr ˈdɜrti ˈlɪnən ɪn ˈpʌblɪk/ | Do not discuss private matters in public. | They argued loudly at the restaurant; they shouldn't wash their dirty linen in public. |
| Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (a.k.a. the Golden Rule) | /du ˈʌntu ˈʌðərz æz ju wʊd hæv ðɛm du ˈʌntu ju/ | Treat others the way you want to be treated. | Q: Should I help him? A: Yes, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. |
| Don't take any wooden nickels | /doʊnt teɪk ˈɛni ˈwʊdən ˈnɪkəlz/ | Be careful not to be cheated. | Q: I'm going to the market. A: Don't take any wooden nickels. |
| Doubt is the beginning, not the end, of wisdom | /daʊt ɪz ðə bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ nɑt ði ɛnd əv ˈwɪzdəm/ | Questioning things leads to knowledge. | Q: I'm confused about this theory. A: Good, doubt is the beginning of wisdom. |
| Early marriage, earlier pregnant | /ˈɜrli ˈmɛrɪdʒ ˈɜrliər ˈprɛɡnənt/ | Getting married early often leads to early pregnancy. | Q: Why did she have a baby so soon? A: Early marriage, earlier pregnant. |
| Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise (Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), polymath and Founding Father of the United States) | /ˈɜrli tə bɛd ænd ˈɜrli tə raɪz meɪks ə mæn ˈhɛlθi ˈwɛlθi ænd waɪz/ | Going to bed early and waking up early leads to success. | Q: Why do you wake up at 5 AM? A: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. |
