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Glite Dictionary
old saw

old saw

4 7.7
A common saying many people repeat that gives simple advice
  • noun
  • /oʊld sɔ/
translation icon : dicho antiguo
  • No mention is even made of the old saw attributed to Harry Truman about how you can't be a good citizen unless you know your history.

The old, the old saw about there being no free lunch.

Examples

  • There is some truth to the old saw that the squeaky wheel gets the oil, but in my experience, calling too soon or too often will have the opposite effect, and you'll be branded as a nudge.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Just like the old saw about advertising: "Half of the money I spend on advertising is wasted."

    Blog text (22)

  • The old saw goes that the answer to bad speech is more speech.

    Blog text (12)

  • We need to stop just giving students fish and start teaching them how to fish, as the old saw goes.

    Blog text (13)

  • An old saw has it that no one profits from talking about politics or religion.

    Blog text (8)

  • In case you bought that old saw that those who can't do, teach.

    Raise Your Voice (2004)

  • The old saw about history repeating itself if unstudied is out of date.

    Blog text (7)

  • This psychological crutch theory of religion is confirmed by the old saw that states there are no atheists in foxholes.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Contrary to the old saw, "UP gets the story and AP gets it right," the noticeable errors in coverage showed up in the copy from the AP.

    Academic text (2017)

  • You know the old saw that says, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

Synonyms

saying
vsold saw
201 1.7

A short well-known phrase that gives advice or a general truth

is the traditional repeated version rather than any casual phrase
proverb
vsold saw
37 3.9

A short well-known saying that gives advice or a general truth

is the older repeated wording of that common advice
adage
vsold saw
32 4.2

A well-known short saying that gives advice or shows a general truth

is the traditional repeated form of that same truth
old saying
vsold saw
28 2.8

A short traditional phrase that gives advice or a general truth

is the same idea emphasising age and frequent repetition
gnome
vsold saw
  • Literature
11 9.9

A short, wise saying that tells a general truth

is the same idea but highlights age and repetition instead of pithiness
aphorism
vsold saw
9 7.4

A short, clever saying that shows a general truth

is more traditional and repeatedly used rather than merely clever
saw
vsold saw
5 6.4

A short memorable saying that gives common advice

focuses on traditional repeated advice rather than memorability
old chestnut
vsold saw
  • Informal
4 7.9

A story or joke people tell so often that it becomes boring

is similar but keeps a neutral wise tone rather than tiredness
stock phrase
vsold saw
1 3.3

A common saying used so often it sounds tired

is a repeated traditional proverb with truthful advice rather than cliché

Antonyms

innovative idea
6 4.2

A new creative plan that solves a problem in a useful way

How Familiar

truism
11 5.7
old saw
4 7.7
proverb
37 3.9
saying
201 1.7

Surface Forms

old saw singular
old saws plural

Morphology

old + saw

The meaning 'a traditional saying or proverb' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'old' (long-established) with 'saw' (a proverb/maxim): the adjective simply qualifies the noun, yielding a straightforward compositional meaning. This adjective+noun pattern (compare 'old saying'/'old proverb') is cross-linguistically common, so a learner who knows both constituent senses will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Old saw comes from saw, an old word for a short 'saying'. Think of a tool, an old worn saw used many times; that image explains why the phrase means a familiar, often repeated 'saying'.