proverb

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Linguistics

prov·erb /ˈprɒvɜːb $ ˈprɑːvɜːrb/ ●●○ noun [countable]  SLSAYINGa short well-known statement that gives advice or expresses something that is generally true. ‘A penny saved is a penny earned’ is an example of a proverb. 谚语，格言 → saying► see thesaurus at phrase

Examples from the Corpus

proverb• A proverb in fact from hell.• She was an encyclopaedia of superstitions and proverbs.• An Irish proverb is relevant here -- 'You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather is.'• Maxims, proverbs, and other forms of folk wisdom give a person reasons for obeying rules.• Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will never hurt us, as the noted proverb has it.• Do you remember this old proverb: 'When poverty comes in the door, love flies out of the window'?• In reply, he quoted a Sanskrit proverb: 'Forgiveness is the ornament of the brave'.• There is as it happens an Anglo-Saxon proverb analogous to Lord Acton's, but still significantly different.• He grinned and then uttered a Swahili proverb.• After frontal damage, the patient may just paraphrase the proverb.Origin proverb (1300-1400) Old French proverbe, from Latin proverbium, from verbum “word”

prov·erb nounChineseSyllable  

statement that Corpus something gives or short expresses that a well-known advice

proverb
prov‧erb /ˈprɒvɜːb $ ˈprɑːvɜːrb/ noun [countable]a short well-known statement that gives advice or expresses something that is generally true. ‘A penny saved is a penny earned’ is an example of a proverb. ⇨ saying
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ phrase a group of words that have a particular meaning when used together, or which someone uses on a particular occasion: What was the phrase he used to describe her? | I’ve never heard of the phrase before. | The President often used the phrase ‘War on terror’.
   ▪ expression a fixed phrase which is used in a language and has a particular meaning: a colloquial expression (=an informal expression used in everyday spoken language) | The old-fashioned expression ‘in the family way’ means pregnant. | a common English expression | I was absolutely knackered, if you’ll pardon the expression (=used when you think someone might be offended by the words you have used).
   ▪ idiom a group of words that has a special meaning which you cannot guess from the meanings of each separate word: ‘Under the weather’ is an idiom which means ‘ill’.
   ▪ cliché a phrase that is boring and no longer original because people use it a lot: The phrase ‘at the end of the day’ has become a real cliché. | There is some truth in the old cliché that time is a great healer.
   ▪ saying/proverb a well-known phrase that gives advice about life: Do you know the saying ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’? | There is an old Chinese proverb which states ‘A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step’.
   ▪ slogan a short phrase that is easy to remember, especially one that is used in advertising: advertising slogans | Protesters were shouting anti-government slogans.
   ▪ motto a phrase that expresses a person’s or organization’s beliefs and aims: The school motto was ‘Truth and Honour’.

prov·erbBrE /ˈprɒvɜːb/ 🔊NAmE /ˈprɑːvɜːrb/ 🔊 nouna well-known phrase or sentence that gives advice or says sth that is generally true, for example 'Waste not, want not.' 谚语；格言