A Dictionary of English Idioms and Their Arabic Counterparts Made by: Areej Al-Humsi

2011

Areej Al-Himsi Preparatory Year Deanship

1/1/2011

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King Saud University

Preparatory Year Deanship

English Language Skills Department

Self-Learning Final Project

A Dictionary of English Idioms and their Arabic

Counterparts

Student Name: Areej Al-Humsi

ID:432201394

Level:6 Section No.:28444

Teacher's Name: Ms. Georgina Phidd

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Table of Contents:

A ................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

1.A Drowning Man Will Clutch At A Straw. ............................................................................................................ 5

2.A Fox Is Not Taken Twice In The Same Snare. .................................................................................................... 5

3.A Friend In Need Is A Friend In Deed. ................................................................................................................. 5

4.A Guilty Conscience Needs No Accuser. ............................................................................................................. 5

5.All That Glitters Is Not Gold. ............................................................................................................................... 5

B ................................................................................................................................................................................. 6

1.Barking Dogs Seldom Bite. .................................................................................................................................. 6

2.Better An Open Enemy Than A False Enemy. ..................................................................................................... 6

3.Better Safe Than Sorry. ....................................................................................................................................... 6

4.Birds Of A Feather Flock Together. ..................................................................................................................... 6

5.Blood Is Thicker Than Water. .............................................................................................................................. 6

C ................................................................................................................................................................................. 7

1.Charity Begins At Home. ..................................................................................................................................... 7

2. Choose The Lesser Of Two Evils. ..................................................................................................................... 7

3.Constant Dripping Wears Away A Stone. ............................................................................................................ 7

4. Corruption Of The Best Becomes The Worst. .................................................................................................... 7

5. Cowards Die Often. ............................................................................................................................................ 7

D ................................................................................................................................................................................. 8

1.Dead Men Tell No Tales. ..................................................................................................................................... 8

2. Diamonds Cut Diamonds. ................................................................................................................................... 8

3. Do To Others As You Would Have Them Do To You. ......................................................................................... 8

4. Dogs Do Not Eat Dogs. ....................................................................................................................................... 8

5. Do Not Count Your Chickens Before They Are Hatched. ................................................................................... 8

E.................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

1. Early To Bed And Early To Rise Makes A Man Healthy, Wealthy, And Wise. .................................................... 9

2. Easy Come, Easy Go. .......................................................................................................................................... 9

3. Every Dog Has His Day........................................................................................................................................ 9

4. Every Medal Has Its Reverse. ............................................................................................................................. 9

5. Everything Comes To Those Who Wait. ............................................................................................................. 9

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F ................................................................................................................................................................................ 10

1. Familiarity Breeds Contempt. .......................................................................................................................... 10

2. First Catch Your Hare. ...................................................................................................................................... 10

3. Forbidden Fruit Is Sweet. ................................................................................................................................. 10

4. Four Eyes See Better Than Two. ...................................................................................................................... 10

H ............................................................................................................................................................................... 11

1. He Laughs Best Who Laughs Last. .................................................................................................................... 11

2. He Who Pays The Piper Can Call The Tune. ..................................................................................................... 11

3. History Repeats Itself. ...................................................................................................................................... 11

4. Honesty Is The Best Policy. .............................................................................................................................. 11

5. Hunger Is The Best Sauce. ................................................................................................................................ 11

I ................................................................................................................................................................................ 12

1. If You Laugh Before Breakfast, You’ll Cry Before Dinner. ................................................................................ 12

2. If You Want A Thing Done Well, Do It Yourself. ............................................................................................... 12

3. Ill-Gotten Gains Never Prosper. ....................................................................................................................... 12

4. It Is No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk. .................................................................................................................. 12

5. It Is Too Late To Lock The Stable-Door When The Horse Is Stolen. ................................................................. 12

L ................................................................................................................................................................................ 13

1. Laugh, And The World Laughs With You; Weep, And You Weep Alone. ......................................................... 13

2. Like Father, Like Son......................................................................................................................................... 13

3. Love Me, Love My Dog. .................................................................................................................................... 13

M .............................................................................................................................................................................. 14

1. Make Haste Slowly. .......................................................................................................................................... 14

2. Make Hay While The Sun Shines. ..................................................................................................................... 14

3. Misfortunes Seldom Come Alone. ................................................................................................................... 14

4. Money Begets Money. ..................................................................................................................................... 14

N ............................................................................................................................................................................... 15

1. Necessity Knows No Laws. ............................................................................................................................... 15

2. Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention. ............................................................................................................ 15

3. Never Put Off Till Tomorrow What Can Be Done Today. ................................................................................. 15

4. Never Too Old To Learn. .................................................................................................................................. 15

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O ............................................................................................................................................................................... 16

1. One CAN’T GET BLOOD FROM STONE. ............................................................................................................ 16

2. One Man’s Meat Is Another Man’s Poison. ..................................................................................................... 16

3. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind. ............................................................................................................................... 16

P ............................................................................................................................................................................... 17

1. People Who Live In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones. ......................................................................... 17

2. Poverty Is No Sin. ............................................................................................................................................. 17

3. Prevention Is Better Than Cure. ....................................................................................................................... 17

4. Procrastination Is The Thief Of Time. ............................................................................................................... 17

S ................................................................................................................................................................................ 18

1. Short Debts Make Long Friends. ...................................................................................................................... 18

2. Silence Gives Consent. ..................................................................................................................................... 18

3. Speech Is Silver But Silence Is Gold. ................................................................................................................. 18

4. Still Waters Run Deep. ..................................................................................................................................... 18

5. Strike While The Iron Is Hot. ............................................................................................................................ 18

T................................................................................................................................................................................ 19

1. The Early Bird Catches The Worm. ................................................................................................................... 19

2. The Leopard Cannot Change Its Spots. ............................................................................................................ 19

3. The Longest Day Must Have An End. ............................................................................................................... 19

4. The Way To An Englishman’s Heart Is Through His Stomach. ......................................................................... 19

5. There Is No Rose Without A Thorn. ................................................................................................................. 19

W .............................................................................................................................................................................. 20

1. What Can’t Be Cured Must Be Endured. .......................................................................................................... 20

2. When The Cat Is Away The Mice Play. ............................................................................................................. 20

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A

1. A Drowning Man Will Clutch At A Straw. .اءالغريق يتعلق بحبال الهو

A desperate man will do anything to save himself.

2. A Fox Is Not Taken Twice In The Same Snare. جر مرتين عذر.ليس لرجل لدغ من ح

People learn from their mistakes and seldom make them twice.

3. A Friend In Need Is A Friend In Deed. الصديق عند الضيق.

The people that help you in times of trouble are your true friends

4. A Guilty Conscience Needs No Accuser. كاد المريب أن يقول خذوني.

Guilt will drive a person mad. There is no need to put blame on someone that feels guilty.

5. All That Glitters Is Not Gold. .ليس كل ما يلمع ذهبا

You must not be dazzled by trinkets and ornaments because those trinkets are almost always fake.

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B

1. Barking Dogs Seldom Bite. لسانه. من قصرت يده مد

Usually people who are aggressive and make threats seldom go through with what they say.

2. Better An Open Enemy Than A False Enemy. عدو عاقل خير من صديق جاهل.

It is more beneficial to have a known enemy than a hidden one.

3. Better Safe Than Sorry. من نظر في العواقب، سلم من النوائب.

Taking precautions is better than having no precautions.

4. Birds Of A Feather Flock Together. كل طير يأوي إلى شكله.

People with the same culture and upbringing generally befriend those who are like them.

5. Blood Is Thicker Than Water. .أنا و أخي على ابن عم ي، و أنا و ابن عمي على الغريب

Family ties are the strongest bonds you can make.

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C

1. Charity Begins At Home. األقربون أولى بالمعروف.

There is no point to be charitable towards other people whom you don’t know if you are not kind to those who are closest to you.

2. Choose The Lesser Of Two Evils. بعض الشر أهون من بعض.

When you are faced with two bad choices, you should always pick the one that is the

poses the least threat.

3. Constant Dripping Wears Away A Stone. معظم النار من مستصغر الشرر.

Persistence allows you to overcome any obstacle.

4. Corruption Of The Best Becomes The Worst. أسوأ الفساد فساد األفضل.

The best is usually held as an example or a role model for his/her peers. Therefore, if the best is corrupt, all the people that follow him/her are corrupt as well.

5. Cowards Die Often. إن الجبان حتفه من فوقه.

All people die eventually. Therefore, a coward’s fear of death is irrational.

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D

1. Dead Men Tell No Tales. ليس للميت لسان فينطق.

People who are deceased can’t tell others your secrets.

2. Diamonds Cut Diamonds. إن الحديد بالحديد يفلح.

When faced with something tough or hard, there is no way to overcome that obstacle

without being tough yourself.

3. Do To Others As You Would Have Them Do To You.

كما تدين تدان.

Treat others as you would have them treat you.

4. Dogs Do Not Eat Dogs. الل ص ال يسرق لصا .

People will not betray other people of the same type. The same way predators have a

mutual respect for each other.

5. Do Not Count Your Chickens Before They Are Hatched.

حتي يصبح في المكيول. ،ال تقل فول

Be patient. Do not act prematurely and never assume something is going to happen

until it does.

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E

1. Early To Bed And Early To Rise Makes A Man Healthy, Wealthy, And Wise.

باكر تسعد.

If you get enough sleep, wake up early, and go to work, you will lead a happy successful

life.

2. Easy Come, Easy Go. وابع .مال تجلبه الرياح تأخذه الز

People waste things that they take for granted.

3. Every Dog Has His Day. الدهر يومان: يوم لك و يوم عليك.

There will come a day where even the most misfortunate of us will succeed.

4. Every Medal Has Its Reverse. .لكل مسألة وجهان

No matter how good something may seem it will always have a positive and a negative

side.

5. Everything Comes To Those Who Wait. .من تأنى نال ما تمنى

Good fortune will always be received by those who are patient enough to wait for it.

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F

1. Familiarity Breeds Contempt. .كثرة الضحك تذهب الهيبة

As you become more familiar with someone, you lose respect for them.

2. First Catch Your Hare. .قبل الرمي يراش السهم

Do not plan for a situation unless you are sure of it happening.

3. Forbidden Fruit Is Sweet. .أحب األعمال إلى األنسان ما منعا

When something is prohibited, it automatically becomes sweeter and more desirable.

4. Four Eyes See Better Than Two. .رأيان خير من رأي

Two people can look at, and handle a situation more efficiently than one person.

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H

1. He Laughs Best Who Laughs Last. األمور بخواتمها.

After a situation unfolds, the person who is in control –or laughs- in the end is

victorious.

2. He Who Pays The Piper Can Call The Tune. من يدفع يأمر.

The person that pays for a service is the controller of every aspect of that service.

3. History Repeats Itself. ما أشبه الليلة بالبارحة.

Events tend to reoccur in the same pattern.

4. Honesty Is The Best Policy. األمانة خير ضمانة.

Being an honest person is the best way to lead your life because honesty is the finest

attribute one can have.

5. Hunger Is The Best Sauce. الجوع أمهر الطباخين.

When you are hungry, everything tastes amazing.

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I

1. If You Laugh Before Breakfast, You’ll Cry Before Dinner.

يوم السرور قصير.

Don’t take life for granted. Happy events are usually followed closely by events that are

upsetting.

2. If You Want A Thing Done Well, Do It Yourself.

ما حك ظهري مثل يدي.

No one can do something as well as you can. If you assign a job to someone else you will

never be satisfied by their work. The only way for you to be fully satisfied is by doing it

yourself.

3. Ill-Gotten Gains Never Prosper. المال الحرام ال يدوم.

When you obtain something by cheating someone, it will never grow or be of value to

you because you acquired it in a deceitful way.

4. It Is No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk. ال يرد الميت البكاء عليه.

There is no way to change what happens in the past. There is also no use in being upset

over something that can’t be changed.

5. It Is Too Late To Lock The Stable-Door When The Horse Is Stolen.

سبق السيف العذل.

There is no use trying to stop something that happened in the past.

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L

1. Laugh, And The World Laughs With You; Weep, And You Weep Alone.

اضحك يضحك العالم معك و ابك تبك وحدك.

People will always be around you when you are happy, but when you are sad and upset

there will be none to comfort you.

2. Like Father, Like Son. إن هذا الشبل من ذاك األسد.

Sons usually resemble their fathers in many things. They often share various similarities.

3. Love Me, Love My Dog. ب العل يق.إكراما للورد يشر

When you love someone you must also love those closest to them.

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M

1. Make Haste Slowly. من تأنى نال ما تمنى.

Even if you are in a hurry you should always take time to make sure you are doing your

work properly.

2. Make Hay While The Sun Shines. اخنم الطين ما دام رطبا .

Seize every opportunity that comes your way.

3. Misfortunes Seldom Come Alone. المصائب نادرا ما تأتي فررادى.

Be prepared because when bad things happen they usually happen in groups.

4. Money Begets Money. لمال يجر المال.ا

When you have money it is very easy for you to invest it and make more money.

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N

1. Necessity Knows No Laws. للضرورة أحكام.

When people are desperate they will do whatever it takes to survive. They will not abide

themselves to any social standards.

2. Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention. الحاجة تفتق الحيلة.

When people reach a desperate point, hey become creative and can invent the most

amazing things.

3. Never Put Off Till Tomorrow What Can Be Done Today.

وم إلي الغد.ال تؤجل عمل الي

It is best to finish each day’s work an time, so that your work doesn’t pile-up.

4. Never Too Old To Learn. اطلوا العلم من المهد إلى الل حد.

You will never reach a point in your life where you are all knowing. You will continue to

learn new things every day.

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O

1. One CAN’T GET BLOOD FROM STONE. إنك ال تجني من الشوك العنب.

Something that is very difficult to do or make someone else do.

2. One Man’s Meat Is Another Man’s Poison.

طعام زيد قد يكون سما لعمرو.

Different people have different points of view. What one man may perceive as a

blessing another may see it as a curse.

3. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind. البعيد ينسي.

When something is not in front of you all the time or far away from you, it will seldom

be on your mind.

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P

1. People Who Live In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones.

من كان بيته من زجاج ال يرشق الناس بالحجارة.

You should never judge people if the faults you find in them are also in you.

2. Poverty Is No Sin. الفقر ليس عيبا .

There is nothing wrong with being poor. People shouldn’t make poor people feel bad

about the situation they are in.

3. Prevention Is Better Than Cure. درهم وقاية خير من قنطار عالج.

It is better to take precautions and safety measures, than to look for solutions after

something bad happens.

4. Procrastination Is The Thief Of Time. ال تؤجل عمل اليوم إلى الغد.

Procrastination and putting things off is the ultimate waste of time.

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S

1. Short Debts Make Long Friends. تعاشروا كاإلخوان و تحاسبوا كالغرباء.

Small reoccurring favors strengthen friendships.

2. Silence Gives Consent. السكوت أخو الرضا.

Sometimes silence can be perceived as agreement, especially if you never openly

protest to something.

3. Speech Is Silver But Silence Is Gold. إذا كان الكالم من فضة فالسكوت من ذهب.

Despite the fact that speaking is beneficial, it is sometimes being silent is more useful.

4. Still Waters Run Deep. تحت السواهي دواه.

You should be wary of quiet and calm people because they are usually the most

cunning.

5. Strike While The Iron Is Hot. إضرب حديدا حاميا .

You should seize an opportunity while it comes. You never know when this chance may

come again.

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T

1. The Early Bird Catches The Worm. البركة في البكور.

If you work diligently and wake up early in the morning you will be the one to get ahead.

2. The Leopard Cannot Change Its Spots. الطبع غلب التطبع.

People never change their habits or personalities.

3. The Longest Day Must Have An End. لكل شمس مغرب.

No matter what hardships you are facing you shouldn’t worry because everything must

always come to an end.

4. The Way To An Englishman’s Heart Is Through His Stomach.

المعدة مفتاح القلب.

If you want to gain an Englishman’s friendship or love, cooking is the best way to do

that.

5. There Is No Rose Without A Thorn. وكة تخرج الوردة.من الش

No matter how nice a person may seem, there will always be something about that

person that is unpleasant.

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W

1. What Can’t Be Cured Must Be Endured. ما ال يصلح تركه أصلح.

Sometimes you are not able to find a solution to a problem; therefor, you just have to

put up with it.

2. When The Cat Is Away The Mice Play. غاب القط فالعب يا فار!

If there is no supervision, mayhem will occur.