he had need rise early who would please everybody
It is impossible to satisfy everyone's expectations
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he has a green bonnet
Has failed in trade. In France it used to be customary, even in the 17th century, for bankrupts to wear a green bonnet (cloth cap).
he has a screw loose
He is not quite compos mentis, he's a little mad. His mind is like a piece of machinery that needs adjusting — it won't work properly.
he has a tile loose
He is not quite compos mentis, not all there. In Freemasonry, to tile a lodge means to close and guard the doors to prevent anyone uninitiated from entering, the officer who does this being called the Tiler, sometimes spelled tyler.
he has an axe to grind
Some selfish motive in the background; some personal interest to answer. Franklin tells of a man who wanted to grind his axe, but had no time to turn the grindstone. Going to the yard where he saw young Franklin, he asked the boy to show him how the machine worked, kept praising him till his axe was ground, and then laughed at him for his pains.
he has been everything by turns
Vole is a deal at cards that draws the whole tricks. To vole is to win all the tricks.
he has cut his eye-teeth
He is "wide awake," quite sophisticated; he has "his weather-eye open." The eye-teeth (i.e.
he has eaten mandrake
Said of a very indolent and sleepy man, from the narcotic and stupefying properties of the plant, well known to the ancients.
he has got his pennyworth
He has got good value for his money; sometimes said of one who has received a good drubbing.
he has not all his buttons
He is half-silly; "not all there"; he is "a button short.
he has quite lost his head
He is so excited and confused that he does not know the right thing to do.
he has seen a wolf
Something or other has frightened him; formerly said of a person who had lost his voice. Our forefathers believed that if a man saw a wolf before the wolf saw him, he became dumb, at least for a time.
he has supped all his porridge
Eaten his last meal; he is dead. Keep your breath to cool your porridge. A rude remark made to one who is giving un- wanted or unsought advice.
he has undone her girdle
Taken her for his wife. The Roman bride wore a chaplet of flowers on her head, and a girdle of sheep's wool about her waist. A part of the marriage ceremony was for the bridegroom to loose this.
he is a fool that forgets himself. (14th century)
Someone who acts foolishly or shamelessly
he is a regular flat-fish
A dull, stupid fellow. The play is upon flat (stupid), and such fish as plaice, dabs, and soles.
he is come to his autumn
A colloquialism which may mean that he has entered on his period of (natural or induced) decay.
he is coming round
Recovering from sick- ness; recovering from a fit of the sulks; returning to friendship; he is coming round to my way of thinking, he is beginning to think as I do.
he is gone to the bad
Has become a ruined man, or a depraved character. He is mixing with bad companions, has acquired bad habits, or is (usually implying "through his own fault") in bad circumstances.
he is in the clouds
In dreamland; enter- taining visionary notions and so having no distinct idea about the matter in question.
he is my friend that succoreth me, not he that pitieth me
A friend is one who helps, not just feels sorry for you
he is my friend who grinds at my mill
A person who helps or supports me is considered a friend
he is my right hand
My principal assistant, my best and most trustworthy man.
he is off the hooks
Done for, laid on the shelf, superseded, dead. The bent pieces of iron on which the hinges of a gate rest and turn are called hooks.
he is very much run down
Very out of sorts ; in need of a thorough rest and overhauling, like a clock that has run down.
he is worth his weight in gold. (16th century)
Someone extremely valuable or helpful
he knows what's what
He is a shrewd fellow not to be imposed on. One of the senseless questions of logic was Quid est quid?
he laughs best who laughs last
The person who ultimately succeeds or achieves their goal is the one who deserves to laugh
he makes a rod for his own back. (14th century)
He creates a problem for himself
He may remove Mortstone
A Devonshire proverb, said incredulously of husbands who pretend to be masters of their wives. It also means, "If you have done what you say, you can accomplish anything.
he nicked it
Won, hit, accomplished it. A nick is a winning throw of dice in the old game of "hazard.
he or she
Used to refer to a person without specifying their gender
he played his cards well
He acted judici- ously and skilfully, like a whist-player who plays his hand with judgment.
he shot wide of the mark
He was altogether in error. The allusion is to shooting at the mark or bull's-eye of a target.
He that can have patience can have what he will. (Strauss, 1994 p. 87)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
he that goes a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing
Borrowing money often leads to trouble and regret
He that hath a head of wax must not walk in the sun. (Ward, 1842 p. 54)
One who is easily influenced should avoid temptation
he that is worst may still hold the candle
Even the least capable person can still contribute or assist
He that leaves certainty and sticks to chance, When fools pipe, he may dance
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
he that makes himself a sheep shall be eaten by the wolf
One who shows weakness will be taken advantage of
he that runs may read
The Bible quotation in Hob. ii, 2, is, "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
he that sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind
One who starts a problem will face much worse consequences
he that stays in the valley will not get over the hill
One must take risks to achieve success
He that steals an egg will steal an ox. (Strauss, 1994 p. 962)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
he that swells in prosperity will shrink in adversity
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
He that talketh what he knoweth, will also talk what he knoweth not. (Francis Bacon)
People who talk freely about what they know may also talk freely about what they don't know
he that talks to himself, speaks to a fool
One who talks to themselves is foolish
he that waits on another man's trencher, makes many a late dinner
Someone dependent on others may face delays or uncertainties
he that will not when he may, when he will he may have nay
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
he that will thrive must first ask his wife
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
he that would eat the kernel must crack the nut
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
he that would hang his dog gives out first that he is mad
Someone who wants to get rid of something gives a false reason for doing so
he tirled at the pin
He twiddled or rattled with the latch before opening the door. The pin was not only the latch of chamber doors and cottages, but the "rasp" of castles used instead of the modern knocker. It was attached to a ring, which produced a grating sound to give notice to the warder.
he was blue in the face
He had made too great an effort; was breathless and exhausted either bodily or with suppressed anger or emotion.
he was first fiddle
Chief man, the most distinguished of the company. The allusion is to the leader of concerts, who leads with a fiddle.
he who can, does; he who cannot, teaches
Those who are capable do, while those who are not teach others.
He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence. (William Blake)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
he who does not advance goes backwards
If you don't make progress, you will lose ground
he who hesitates is lost
Delayed action can lead to missed opportunities
he who is not with me is against me
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
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