a fool and his money are soon parted »
It is easy to get money from foolish people, especially rich ones.
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a man is known by the company he keeps »
People are similar in character to their friends.
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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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add fuel to the fire »
To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.
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age before beauty »
A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones.
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Après-ski »
A place "after skiing". Typically a bar or pub where people go after a day on the slopes to ease off and meet other people.
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as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly »
Foolish people repeatedly do foolish things.
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ask around »
To enquire about something to different people.
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ask round »
To enquire about something to different people.
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at all hours »
Late into the night or early morning; when people ought to be sleeping.
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barking dogs seldom bite »
People who make big threats never usually carry them out.
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be in on »
To be a party to a secret shared by a small group of people.
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beer goggles »
The illusion that people are more attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.
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big boys »
The people or bodies with the most influence and/or power.
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birds and bees »
Informal sex education, especially describing the sexual activity of animals rather than that of people.
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