A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

news see BAD news travels fast; GO abroad and you’ll hear news of home; NO news is good news.
nibble see a BLEATING sheep loses a bite.
NIGHT brings counsel
Cf. MENANDER Sententiae no. 222 -^>: п;чди^-1 a.¹. at night comes
ounseloe wse; L. in nocte consilium,in night iscounsel.

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  1590 SPENSER Faerie Queene I. i. 291 Vntroubled night.. giues counsell best. 1640 G. HERBERT Outlandish Proverbs no. 746 Night is the mother of Councels. 1660 DRYDEN Astra’a Redux 1. 93 Well might the Ancient Poets then confer On Night the honour’d nme of Counseller. 1928 L. THAYER Darkest Spot xviii. The saying that night brings counsel is often true. . . Peter . . woke next morning witha plan of campaign fully developed. 1967 N. FREELING Strike out where not Applicable 184 ‘Home you go, boy. Night brings counsel.’ Night did bring counsel. Or rather Verbiest, the young inspector, brought it. ^advice
  

nightsee also BARNABY bright, Barnaby bright, the longest dayand the shortest night; ll CATSre grey in the drk; RED skyat night shepherd’s delight; SING before breakfast, cry before night.
NINE tailors make a man
The literl mening is tht gentleman must select hisattire from various sources. It is now sometimes specificllyssociated with bell-ringing (see quots. 1908and 1934).

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  1613 Tarlton’s Jests C1 Two Taylors goes to a man. 1647 N. WARD Simple Cobbler 26 It is more common then convenient saying, that nine Taylers makea man; it were well if nineteene could make a woman to her minde. 1776 Poor Robin’s Almanack II. C6^V Do ye know how many Taylors make a Man? Why Nine—Nine Taylors make a Man. 1819 SCOTT Letter 26 July (1933) V. 427 They say it take nine tailors to make a man— apparently, one is sufficient to ruin him. 1908 H. B. WALTERS Church Bells v. When the Knell is rung, it is a frequent practice to indicate the . . sex of the deceased. .. The old saying ‘nine tailors make a man’ is really ‘nine tellers’ [strokes], or three times three. 1912 A. BRAZIL New Girl at St. Chad’s i. There’s a saying that it takes nine tailors to make a man, so if your name is Taylor you can only be the ninth part of a lady! 1934 D. L. SAYERS Nine Tailors IV. iii. The voice of the bells of Fenchurch St. Paul. .. Nine Tailors Make a Man. "dress
  

nine see also PARSLEY seed goes nine times to the Devil; POSSESSION is nine points of the law; it is not SPRING until you can plant your foot upon twelve daisies; a STITCH in time saves nine.