A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

1989 Washington Times 13 Sept. C9 The reigning corporate strategy these days is that the best defense is a good offense. 1992 MIEDER Dict. of American Proverbs 436 A good offense is the best defense. 2002 Washington Times 6 Apr. B2 There is a saying, ‘The best defense is a good offense.’ Your sister-in-law’s behavior was an example of that. “boldness; warfare

deferred see HOPE deferred makes the heart sick.
defiled see he that TOUCHES pitch shall be defiled.
delayed see JUSTICE delayed is justice denied.
DELAYS are dangerous
Cf. c 1300 Havelok (1915) 1.1352 Dwelling haueth ofte scathe [harm] wrouht.

• 
  1578 LYLY Euphues I. 212 Delayes breed daungers, nothing so perillous as procrastination. 1655 J. SHIRLEY Gentlemen of Venice v. 62 Shall we go presently [immediately], delaies are dangerous. 1824 J. FAIRFIELD Letters (1922) p. xxxi. I have always found on all subjects that ‘delays are dangerous’. .. It is expedient that we marry young. 1930 B. FLYNN Murder en Route xxxiii. What a pity Master Hector left it too late. .. Delays are proverbially dangerous. “action and inaction; procrastination
  

delved see when ADAM delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?
denied see JUSTICE delayed is justice denied.
Derbyshire see YORKSHIRE born and Yorkshire bred, strong in the arm and weak in the head.
deserve see none but the BRAVE deserve the fair; a CIVIL question deserves a civil answer; one GOOD turn deserves another.
DESPERATE diseases must have desperate remedies
The proverb is found in many variant forms. Cf. L. extremis malis extrema remedia, extreme remedies for extreme ills.

•