A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

LEAST said, soonest mended

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  c 1460 in W. C. Hazlitt Remains of Early Popular Poetry (1864) III. 169 Who sayth lytell he is wyse..And fewe wordes are soone amend. 1555 J. HEYWOOD Two Hundred Epigrams no. 169 Lyttle sayde, soone amended. a 1641 D. FERGUSSON Scottish
  

Proverbs (STS) no. 946 Littl said is soon mended. 1776 T. COGAN John Buncle, Junior I. vi. Mum’s the word; least said is soonest mended. 1818 SCOTT Heart of Midlothian I. vi. A fine preaching has he been at the night.. but maybe least said is sunest mended. 1960 MISS READ Fresh from Country xii. A quiet word.. should.. stop any further talebearing, and I really think it’s a case of ‘least said, soonest mended.’ 1992 A. LAMBERT Rather English Marriage (1993) xvii. 289 He was tempted to go down and confront her, . . but he knew he was in the wrong. Least said, soonest mended: no good creating a fuss now. "discretion; speech and silence; tact
least see also IDLE people have the least leisure; who KNOWS most, speaks least.
There is nothing like LEATHER
Also used literally.

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  1692 R. L’ESTRANGE Fables of Aesop cccxlviii. There was a council of mechanics called to advise about the fortifying of a city. .. Up starts a currier [a person who dressed and coloured leather]; Gentlemen, says he, wheny’ave said all that can be said, there’s nothing in the world like leather. 1837 F. PALGRAVE Merchant & Friar iv. King Log [the birch] was.. forgotten. .. ‘Depend upon it, Sir, there is nothing like leather.’ 1892 I. ZANGWILL Big Bow Mystery vi. Besides, meat might have reminded him too much of his work. There is nothing like leather, but Bow beefsteaks occasionally come very near it. 1909 Votes for Women 22 Oct. 63 Nothing like leather for Suffragettes’ wear.—Miss M. Roberta Mills makes Ties, Bags, Belts, [etc.]. 1935 V. S. PRITCHETT (title) Nothing like leather. 1937 C. ST. JOHN SPRIGG Six Queer Things v. 115 Morgan had a leathery mind. There was no subtlety or sharpness about it, but it was tough. .. No amount of discouragement or error wore it out. There is nothing like leather. "strength and weakness