A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

There is an EXCEPTION to every rule
See also the preceding entry and RULES are made to be broken.

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  1579 T. F. News from North D1^V There is no rule so generall, that it admitteth not exception, albeit i dout not.. that honors chaunge maners. 1608 T. HEYWOOD Rape of Lucrece V. 169 A general concourse of wise men. ..Tarquin, if the general rule have no exceptions, thou wilt have an empty consistory [council chamber]. 1773 R. GRAVES Spiritual Quixote III. IX. xviii. The rules of Grammar cannot, in any language, be reduced to a strict analogy; but all general rules have some exceptions. 1836 MARRYAT Midshipman Easy I. xii. I have little reason to speak in its favour.. but there must be exceptions in every rule. 1981 Listener 21 May 683 ‘There is still something awe­inspiring about a duke,’ we are informed. Only those who share such values will want to read Heirs and Graces. Even they should remember that there is an exception to every rule. ■ rules, general
  

A fair EXCHANGE is no robbery

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  1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs II. iv. G4 Chaunge be no robbry for the changed case. c 1590 John of Bordeaux (1936) 1. 213 Exchaung is no roberie. a 1628 in
  

M. L. Anderson Proverbs in Scots (1957) no. 540 Fair shifts [exchange] na robberie. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 105 Fair Exchange is no Rob’ry. Spoken when we take up one Thing, and lay down another. 1748 SMOLLETT Roderick Random II. xli. Casting an eye at my hat and wig.. he took them off, and clapping his own on my head, declared, that a fair exchange was no robbery. 1960 N. MITFORD Don’t tell Alfred xx. ‘So it was you who took away the Harar frescoes?’ ‘Took away? We exchanged them. .. A good exchange is no robbery, I believe?’ 1999 J. CUTLER Dying to Score i. 5 ‘Superintendent Groom, sir, I have to report that I was just considering my spring-cleaning,’ I said. ‘And, since fair exchange is no robbery, what about your thoughts?’ "fair dealing