The wife is the key of the house.
Meaning: A household's harmony and function depend entirely on the woman who manages its interior operations and relationships.
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 Human Nature
- All the keys hang not at one man's girdle. — No single person possesses authority or knowledge over all matters; responsibility and ex…
- Many kiss the child for the nurse's sake. — People often show affection to gain favor with those in power or influence, rather than f…
- Knaves and fools divide the world. — Manipulative people exploit opportunities while naive ones create them through gullibilit…
- Fools tie knots and wise men loose them. — Hasty decisions create lasting problems; intelligence lies in undoing damage rather than…
- Knowledge in youth is wisdom in age. — Early learning compounds over time, transforming youthful study into seasoned understandi…
- That's where the laugh comes in. — Unexpected humor often emerges from situations that initially seem serious or unfunny to…
From our idioms
- surt sa räven — To claim that something undesirable was not worth having anyway, as a way of masking disa…
- slåss mot väderkvarnar — To engage in a futile struggle against imaginary or trivial enemies.
- ha is i magen — To remain calm and composed under pressure, resisting the urge to act rashly.