a bad workman always blames his tools »
It is not the tools we use which make us good, but rather how we employ them.
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a dumb priest never got a parish »
(Irish) Those who fail to speak up fail to get what they want.
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a golden key can open any door »
Sufficient money can accomplish anything.
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a good beginning makes a good ending »
Good beginnings promise a good end; start off on a good note to reap the benefits at the end.
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a good man is hard to find »
Men who make good husbands or workers are rare.
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a good voice to beg bacon »
Said in ridicule of a bad voice.
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a miss is as good as a mile »
A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.
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a nod is as good as a wink »
The hint, suggestion etc can be understood without further explaining.
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a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »
An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.
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a watched pot never boils »
A process appears to go more slowly if one waits for it rather than engaging in other activities.
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acid test »
A rigorous test or appraisal of the quality or worth of something.
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across the board »
Pertaining to all categories or things.
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act out »
To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise.
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ad fontes »
Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources.
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age before beauty »
A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.
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