He is wise enough that can keep himself warm in winter.
Meaning: Self-sufficiency and practical preparation matter more than theoretical knowledge or grand accomplishments.
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 Perseverance
- He that goes far from home for a wife, either intends to cheat or will be cheated. — Marrying a stranger from distant lands invites deception, whether intentional fraud or na…
- There is one good wife in the country, and every man thinks he hath her. — Every husband believes his own wife is uniquely virtuous, blinding him to her actual flaw…
- Happy is he who hath sown his wild oats betimes. — Early indulgence in youthful excess prevents restless regret and wasted energy in later,…
- A wilful man never wants woe. — Stubbornness breeds its own suffering—those who insist on their way invite the consequenc…
- Willows are weak, yet they bend other wood. — Flexibility and gentleness can overcome rigidity; what appears fragile often proves stron…
- Wine is a turncoat, first a friend, then an enemy. — Excessive alcohol initially pleasures but ultimately betrays through addiction, health de…
From our idioms
- shot in the dark — A guess, often wild or based on little information.
- sit tight — To wait quietly and patiently, often in an anxious situation.
- sitting pretty — In a good or advantageous situation; living comfortably.