He that's down, down with him.
Meaning: Mercy vanishes when someone loses power; people instinctively abandon the fallen to suffer further.
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
- Pour not water on a drowned mouse. — Pointless effort wastes resources when the situation is already beyond remedy.
- A drunken night makes a cloudy morning. — Excess indulgence tonight guarantees regret and impaired judgment tomorrow.
- Dry bread at home is better than roast beef abroad. — Humble contentment in familiar surroundings surpasses luxury experienced in exile or disp…
- A dry cough is the trumpeter of death. — Persistent coughing, though seemingly minor, signals serious underlying illness requiring…
- A pennyworth of ease is worth a penny. — Small comforts earned through modest effort repay their cost in improved wellbeing and co…
- Live not to eat, but eat to live. — Prioritize survival and health through eating, rather than making food consumption your l…
From our false friends
- 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…