A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

One VOLUNTEER is worth two pressed men
Pressed men were those who were forced into military service.

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  1705 T. HEARNE Journal 31 Oct. in Remarks & Collections (1885) I. 62 ‘Tis s^d my L^dSeymour presently after Mr. Smith was pronounc’d Speaker, rose up, and told them, Gentlemen; you have got a Low Church man; but pray remember that 100 Voluntiers are better than 200 press’d men. 1834 MARRYAT Jacob Faithful I. xiii. ‘Shall I give you a song?’ ‘That’s right, Tom; a volunteer’s worth two pressed men.’ 1837 F. CHAMIER Arethusa I. iii. Don’t fancy you will be detained against your will; one volunteer is worth two pressed men. 1897 R. KIPLING Captains Courageous x. He presumed Harvey might need a body-servant some day or other, and.. was sure that one volunteer was worth five hirelings. 1979 M. M. KAYE Shadow of Moon (rev. ed.) iv. The Earl could not be persuaded to send her away. .. In any case, said the Earl, Winter would need a personal maid, and in his opinion one volunteer was worth three pressed men. ■co-operation; free will and compulsion
  

vomit see the DOG returns to his vomit.
wag see it is MERRY in hall when beards wag all.
wait see ALL things come to those who wait; TIME and tide wait for no man.
waiting see it’s ILL waiting for dead men’s shoes.
If you can WALK you can dance, if you can talk you can sing
African (Shona) proverb.

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  1998 J. C. SHUMAN & D. ROTTENBERG Rhythm of Business 11.1 started this chapter with a saying from Zimbabwe: If you can walk/You can dance/If you can talk/You can sing. 1999 New York Times 17 Aug. (online) ‘The only thing I am interested to know is that they will be consistent,’ Mr. Leitao said. ‘I do believe if you can walk you can dance. If you can talk you can sing. When you learn to shift your weight then you learn about structure and form and then you put the melody in your body.’ 2005 ‘Drums that Talk’ posting on www.bowdoin.edu 28 Mar. In West Africa, music is learned without notation and allows access to everyone, regardless of ability. Adzenyah embraces the inclusive nature of this music: ‘If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.’ ■optimism; possibility and impossibility