Dogs bark before they bite.
Meaning: Aggression is usually preceded by warning signs if you pay attention to them.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Do well, and have well. — Virtuous actions naturally produce good outcomes; integrity yields its own rewards.
- What soberness conceals, drunkenness reveals. — Alcohol dissolves social filters, exposing true thoughts and feelings people consciously…
- Better be envied than pitied. — Living with others' jealousy over your success beats enduring their sympathy for your fai…
- Example teaches more than precept. — Demonstrating virtue through action proves far more persuasive than merely instructing ot…
- Exchange is no robbery. — A fair trade harms no one because both parties voluntarily accept the terms.
- Her face was her fortune. — Beauty alone sustained her livelihood and social position, making her appearance her prim…
From our compliments & insults
- Sei un tesoro — You're a darling — precious to have around.
- Du bist ein Schatz — You're a sweetheart.
- 目に入れても痛くない (Me ni irete mo itakunai) — Said of someone you adore completely, often a child or grandchild.