a still sow
Preserved but no longer current.
A cunning and selfish man ; one wise in his own interest; one who avoids talking at meals that he may enjoy his food the better. So called from the old proverb, "The still sow eats the wash" or "draff." We do not act that often jest and laugh, 'Tis old, but true, "Still swine eat all the draugh." Merry Wives of Windsor, iv, 2.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a still sow” mean?
A cunning and selfish man ; one wise in his own interest; one who avoids talking at meals that he may enjoy his food the better. So called from the old proverb, "The still sow eats the wash" or "draff." We do not act that often jest and laugh, 'Tis old, but true, "Still swine eat all the draugh." Merry Wives of Windsor, iv, 2.
Is “a still sow” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.