| gen. |
give a man rope enough and he will hang himself (Rope is used both literally, and figuratively–‘licence, freedom'. 1639 T. FULLER Holy War v. vii. They were suffered to have rope enough, till they had haltered themselves. 1670 J. RAY English Proverbs 148 Give a thief rope enough, and he'll hang himself. 1698 in William & Mary College Quarterly (1950) VII. 106 The Kings prerogative..will be hard for his Successor to retrieve, though there's a saying give Men Rope enough, they will hang themselves. 1876 TROLLOPE Prime Minister II. xvii. Give Sir Orlando rope enough and he'll hang himself. 1941 G. BAGBY Red is for Killing x. ‘I like to build a pretty complete case before making an arrest.'.. ‘If you give a man enough rope he hangs himself.' 1968 H. CECIL No Fear or Favour xvi. ‘Judges always give a lot of rope to prisoners when they're defending themselves, don't they, sir?' ‘That's true,' said Stokes. ‘Let's hope he hangs himself with it,' said the superintendent. OED Alexander Demidov); send a fool to close the shutters and he'll close them all over town (Научи дурака Богу молиться – он себе лоб расшибёт. Русская пословица. Означает – переусердствовать от излишнего (неумного) рвения. У Даля встречается в более распространённой форме: "Заставь дурака Богу молиться, он и лоб разобьёт (расшибёт)". Также существует южнорусский вариант с несколько иной акцентуацией и смысловой нагрузкой: "Заставь дурака Богу молиться – не помолится, а только лоб разобьёт". По обычаю верующие во время молитвы становились на колени и низко кланялись, почти касаясь лбом пола. В пословице с осуждением говорится о недалёком, неумном человеке, который чрезмерным усердием и старанием вредит себе. WK. Send a fool to close the shutters and he'll close them all over town. Yiddish Proverb  forbes.com Alexander Demidov); teach a fool to bow and he'll break his forehead (Russians have a proverb: teach a fool to bow and he'll break his forehead. Alexander Demidov); teach a fool to bow his head to God, he'll knock his block upon the floor (Teach a fool to bow his head to God, he'll knock his block upon the floor. [trans. by Bob Blaisdell] Alexander Demidov) |
