A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

BETTER a good cow than a cow of a good kind
A good character is better than a distinguished family.

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  1922 J. BUCHAN Huntingtower X. I’m no weel acquaint wi’ his forbears, but I’m weel eneuch acquaint wi’ Sir Erchie, and ‘better a guid coo than a coo o’ a guid kind’, as my mither used to say. ■family; human nature
  

BETTER are small fish than an empty dish

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  1678 J. RAY English Proverbs 204 Better are small fish then an empty dish. 1862 A. HISLOP Proverbs of Scotland 171 Sma’ fish are better than nane. 1874 painted on cornice at Ascott House, Wing, Bucks., UK. Better are small fish than an empty dish. 1971 J. GLUSKI Proverbs 133 Better are small fish than an empty dish. 2000 Pravda (English version, online ed.) 17 Oct. Why should the great ones of this world settle such particular questions? However, the answer is simple: better a small fish than an empty dish. ^content and discontent
  

BETTER be an old man’s darling, than a young man’s slave

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  1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs II. vii. 13^V Many yeres sens, my mother seyd to me, Hyr elders wold saie, it ys better to be An olde mans derlyng, then a yong mans werlyng [object of scorn]. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 74 Better an old Man’s
  

Darling, than a young Man’s Wonderling, say the Scots, Warling, say the English. 1859 J. R. PLANCHE Love & Fortune 8 Let defeated rivals snarling, Talk of one foot in the grave. Better be an old man’s darling, Than become a young man’s slave. 1980 J. MARCUS Marsh Blood ix. Find yourself an older man. Much better to be an old man’s darling, than a young man’s slave. 1992 ‘C. AIRD’ ‘Man Who Rowed for Shore’ in Injury Time (1995) 14 [S]he had been brought up by her mother on the well-attested aphorism that it was better to be an old man’s darling than a young’s [sic] man’s slave .. "love; wives and husbands