No longer pipe, no longer dance.
Meaning: When the music stops, those dependent on it must cease their enjoyment and move forward.
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
- He dances well to whom fortune pipes. — Success comes easily to those blessed with favorable circumstances rather than personal e…
- Dainty dogs may have to eat dirty puddings. — Those unwilling to compromise their preferences may face deprivation when circumstances d…
- He that gropes in the dark finds that he would not. — Blind searching without guidance leads to unwanted discoveries rather than intended ones.
- It's a wicked thing to make a dearth one's garner. — Hoarding grain during scarcity exploits others' hunger for personal profit, compounding c…
- Death is deaf and hears no denial. — Mortality cannot be negotiated with or postponed, regardless of protests or refusal to ac…
- In the deepest water is the best fishing. — Seeking worthwhile rewards requires venturing into difficult, risky, or challenging circu…
From our idioms
- long shot — Something unlikely to succeed or happen; a bet or venture with very poor odds.
- see with half an eye — To perceive something obvious with very little effort or attention.
- mugged by reality — To experience a sudden, brutal confrontation with harsh truth after living in comfortable…