Her face was her fortune.
Meaning: Beauty alone sustained her livelihood and social position, making her appearance her primary asset.
Origin: From the old nursery rhyme "Where are you going, my pretty maid?", known before 1790. Asked what her fortune is, the milkmaid answers, "My face is my fortune, sir" — and when the suitor says he cannot marry her, she replies, "Nobody asked you, sir."
More proverbs about Wisdom
- A false report rides post. — Lies spread faster than truth because people eagerly share scandal without verifying fact…
- Fancy goes a long way. — Appearing impressive through style and presentation can achieve considerable success, eve…
- Fast bind, fast find. — Securing something firmly makes retrieving it later swift and effortless.
- Fine feathers make fine birds. — Outward appearance and presentation significantly influence how others perceive and judge…
- Forbearance is no acquittance. — Patience with wrongdoing doesn't erase the debt or obligation owed; tolerance isn't forgi…
- Forbidden fruit is sweet. — Desire intensifies for what we're prohibited from having, making the forbidden alluringly…
From our tongue twisters
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. — A relentless 'p' plosive drill; a peck is an old dry measure of about nine litres.
- Unique New York. — Three words that jam the 'y/n/k' sequence together — repeat it and it collapses into 'you…
- Pad kid poured curd pulled cod. — Alternating repetition — the consonants swap at the start of every other word, which is w…