He lies like an epitaph.

Meaning: Flattery inscribed on tombstones distorts truth, so excessive praise proves fundamentally dishonest.

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.

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Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

Simpatichny (Симпатичный) (Simpatichnyy) Actually means 'good-looking' or 'likeable'. For sympathetic, say сочувствующий (sochuvst…
Aktualny (Актуальный) (Aktualnyy) Actually means 'topical' or 'currently relevant'. For actual (real), say настоящий (nasto…
Artist (Артист) (Artist) Actually means 'performer' — an actor, singer or circus artiste. A painter is художник (k…

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