
ProverbWisdom
English origin
On a dark night an owl would be glad of a lantern.
Meaning: Even those naturally suited to darkness benefit from light when circumstances demand visibility.
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.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- нечего греха таить (nechego grekha tait') Truth be told; one might as well admit something true and damning rather than conceal it.
- молоко на губах не обсохло (moloko na gubakh ne obsokhlo) a very young or inexperienced person; someone barely past infancy.
- C'est la fin des haricots It's all over; there's no hope left.
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