11 Classic Phrases We Should Revive

Before memes took over the internet, we had proverbs to express our thoughts. These were clever sayings that captured universal truths. Some were coined by sharp-witted authors, while others just seemed to appear out of nowhere. While some of these proverbs have stood the test of time, others have slowly faded from common use.

The frequent repetition of proverbs often makes it difficult to pinpoint their exact origins, and it’s common to hear different versions of the same saying. That said, the sources below are fantastic historical instances of their respective proverbs, though they may not have been the true originators. Regardless, it’s always fun to sneak them into today’s conversations.

1. “As similar as an apple to an oyster.”

Source: Thomas More, 1533

If you’ve ever found it frustrating that apples and oranges aren’t as different as people say, this 16th-century saying brings in something that’s definitely not an apple.

2. “Children are sure sources of trouble, but unpredictable sources of joy.”

Source: John Clarke, 1639

You can count on needing to change their diapers, but there’s no promise they’ll return the favor when you need it. (Some interpret this as a nod to the overwhelming stress of parenting.)

3. “Where cobwebs abound, kisses are few.”

Source: Notes and Queries, 1864

Messy homes aren’t exactly alluring.

4. “He who makes puns would also steal a coin.”

Source: Benjamin Victor (quoting John Dennis), 1722

If your sense of humor is so lacking that your best punchlines are from The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, you’ll likely stoop to anything.

5. “A friend to everyone is a friend to no one.”

Source: John Wodroephe, 1623

This is why politicians are so universally disliked: In trying to please every crowd, they often come off as insincere and fake.

6. “Garlic makes a man squint, drink, and smell foul.”

Source: Thomas Nashe, 1594

Garlic supposedly stirs your passions, drives you to drink, and makes your whole body reek like overly spiced meat.

7. “Bachelors’ wives and maids’ children are well-educated.”

Source: John Heywood, 1546

When you have neither a spouse nor a child, you think you know everything about handling relationships with spouses and children.

8. “We are born weeping, live grumbling, and die disillusioned.”

Source: Thomas Fuller, 1732

You’re all too familiar with what this means.

9. “Overindulgence takes more lives than the sword.”

Source: The Dialogues of Creatures Moralised, 1535

Even in 1535, overeating was already clogging arteries, enlarging hearts, and filling graveyards.

10. “You should know a man for seven years before you dare to poke his fire.”

Source: Charles Dibdin, 1803

Whether it’s a friend or a partner, take the time to truly know them before you get too comfortable in their space.

11. “The true message of a lady’s letter, as has been said, is often found in the postscript.”

Source: Maria Edgeworth, 1801

Just because the ‘P.S.’ comes at the end doesn’t mean it’s an afterthought—in fact, it’s often where the real point is made.