old saying
28
2.8
- noun
- /oʊld ˈseɪɪŋ/
:
refrán
- You've probably heard the old saying, "Actions speak louder than words."
And, you know, there's an old saying, writing is rewriting.
- And, you know, there's an old saying, writing is rewriting.
- Better, the old saying, royal purple makes a noble shroud.
- I understand you've heard the old saying that a fish stinks from the head.
- So, you know, there's an old saying, man fears time, but time fears the pyramids.
- Yeah, you've heard the old saying, find a need and fill it. A definite demand
- And you know, the old saying is show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are.
- It's like that old saying, you can't learn to run until you learn to walk.
- You know the old, the old saying about don't hate the player, hate the game.
- And, and I'm not just like, look, you know, there's this old saying like, oh, do as I say, not as I do.
- But Congressman, just remember the old saying, keep your friends close and you have no friends.
Examples
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There's an old saying: "Never refuse a combat assignment."
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Develop a loving attitude: As the old saying goes, love always triumphs over hatred.
Blog text (4) -
It's an old saying, but I believe it.
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And you know, the old saying is show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are.
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There is an old saying that statistics can be shown to prove anything.
Academic text (2017) -
And as the old saying goes, a good defense is a good offense, right?
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There's an old saying: "It's not the size of the man in the fight, but the size of the fight in the man."
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Have you ever heard the old saying, "A rolling stone gathers no moss"?
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The old saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," which reminds us to adapt to new cultures.
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There's an old saying that cautions, "You can't judge a book by its cover."
Synonyms
201
1.7
A short well-known phrase that gives advice or a general truth
37
3.9
A short well-known saying that gives advice or a general truth
32
4.2
A well-known short saying that gives advice or shows a general truth
11
9.9
A short, wise saying that tells a general truth
9
7.4
A short, clever saying that shows a general truth
5
6.4
A short memorable saying that gives common advice
4
7.7
A common saying many people repeat that gives simple advice
4
7.9
A story or joke people tell so often that it becomes boring
1
3.3
A common saying used so often it sounds tired
How Familiar
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a traditional expression or proverb' is directly and transparently derived from 'old' (existing for a long time) modifying 'saying' (a common phrase). This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase following common patterns cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Old saying gives a simple picture: a short line that people have said for many years. The word old shows it comes from long ago and saying is words people repeat, so an old saying means a well-known 'proverb' or 'piece of advice' people keep using.