10 Sayings beginning with P


Patience is a virtue

Possible interpretation: The ability to wait for something without getting angry or upset is a valuable quality in a person.

Note: patience (noun) = the ability to wait calmly; the capacity to accept delay without getting angry | virtue (noun) = a quality or trait that most people consider to be morally good or desirable in a person

Quick Quiz:

"Patience is a virtue" suggests that getting angry when you have to wait is
  1. a good personal trait
  2. a bad personal trait
  3. a sign of patience

Answer:  b


Patience surpasses learning

Possible interpretation: 1) The ability to wait for a long time without getting angry is even better than education. 2) the capacity to accept delay without getting upset will achieve more than study in the end

Note: patience (noun) = the ability to wait calmly; the capacity to accept delay without getting angry | surpass (verb) = be greater than; go past; exceed | learning (noun) = the gaining of knowledge through study, experience etc

Origin: Dutch proverb.

Quick Quiz:

If "Patience surpasses learning", which of these is superior?
  1. the ability to tolerate delay calmly
  2. a good education
  3. a surplus of education

Answer:  a


Pay beforehand was never well served

Possible interpretation: If you pay for a service before you receive it, you will not get good service.

Note: beforehand (adverb) = before; in advance | well served = given good service

Quick Quiz:

If you believe the saying "Pay beforehand was never well served", you will always try to pay
  1. after a job is done
  2. when you sign the contract
  3. before a summons is served

Answer:  a


People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

Possible interpretation: This saying warns us against hypocrisy. We should not criticize other people for things we do ourselves.

Quick Quiz:

The saying "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" is really about
  1. people who live in greenhouses
  2. the dangers of hypocrisy
  3. the fragility of glass

Answer:  b


Poor men go to heaven as soon as rich

Possible interpretation: God makes no distinction between people with money and people without money.

Note: heaven (noun) = (according to various religions) the home of God, and the place where good people go after death | as soon as = as easily as

Quick Quiz:

The implication of the saying "Poor men go to heaven as soon as rich" is that heaven is a place of
  1. equality
  2. inequality
  3. first come first served

Answer:  a


Possession is nine points of the law

Possible interpretation: This saying suggests that the person who physically has ownership of something is in a stronger legal position than someone who claims to be the owner.

Note: nine points = nine tenths or 90% | In fact, this idea has no real basis in Law.

Quick Quiz:

If "possession is nine points of the law", which of the following people might be considered to be in the strongest position legally? Someone who
  1. has $1000 in cash in his safe at home
  2. claims to be the owner of the $1000 but doesn't have the cash
  3. can prove he used to have the same $1000 in cash at home

Answer:  a


Practice makes perfect

Possible interpretation: The more you do something, the better you become at it. Regular exercise of a skill or activity helps you become expert at it.

Quick Quiz:

Anthony told his daughter that "practice makes perfect" to encourage her to
  1. do her piano exercises
  2. do her homework
  3. make her bed

Answer:  a


Prevention is better than cure

Possible interpretation: It's better to take care that a problem does not happen than to have to solve the problem afterwards. It's easier to stop something bad from happening in the first place than to fix the damage after it has happened.

Note: prevention (noun) = the act of stopping something from happening | cure (noun) = something that solves an illness or problem | This proverb is often used in relation to health and disease. A variation is: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Quick Quiz:

"Prevention is better than cure" would be a principle of
  1. preventive crime
  2. preventative crime
  3. preventive medicine

Answer:  c


Pride comes before a fall

Possible interpretation: If we are too proud about ourselves or something, we will probably meet with failure or disaster. When we are too self-important or conceited, something is sure to happen to make us look foolish.

Note: pride (noun) = an excessively high opinion of oneself or one's importance | A variation of this proverb is: "Pride goes before a fall."

Origin: This proverb is a contraction (some would say misquotation) from the Bible (Proverbs 16:18): "Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall."

Quick Quiz:

If it is true that "pride comes before a fall", then pride
  1. is more important than falling
  2. is more important than destroying something
  3. will lead us into trouble

Answer:  c


Put the pedal to the metal

Possible interpretation: Go as fast as possible.

Origin: This saying originates from the idea of pressing a car's accelerator pedal down hard to the (metal) floor, thus making the car go at maximum speed.

Variety: This is typically used in American English but may be used in other varieties of English too.

Quick Quiz:

If you "put the pedal to the metal" you will
  1. seize up
  2. slow down
  3. speed up

Answer:  c