opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door
- opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door
Fortune occurs instead of opportunity in earlier forms of the saying. Several quotations below represent slightly different ideas based on the original proverb. In quots. 1809 and 1981, Opportunity is said to knock once or more, but in other quotations, once only. Cf. early 15th-cent Fr. il n’est chance qui ne retourne, there is no opportunity which comes back again.
1567 G. FENTON Bandello 216 Fortune once in the course of our life, dothe put into our handes the offer of a good torne.
1809 Port Folio (Philadelphia) Nov. 431 Fortune knocks once, at least, at every man’s door.
1889 W. F. BUTLER C. G. Gordon iii. Fate, it is said, knocks once at every man’s door... Gordon had just passed his thirtieth year when Fortune..knocked at..the door which was to lead him to fame.
1891 J. J. INGALLS Opportunity in Truth (New York) 19 Feb. 171 [Opportunity] knock unbidden once at every gate! If sleeping, wake: if feasting rise before I turn away..[for] I return no more!
1941 ‘P. WENTWORTH’ Unlawful Occasions xxiv. It was an opportunity with a capital O, and if she threw it away it would never come back again. Opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door.
2001 Washington Post 18 Nov. F2 Experts are uniquely vulnerable to one weakness: Opportunity may knock only once, but the temptation to try to make a contract the hard way—and make the newspapers—is always pounding at the expert’s door.
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twice — see fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me he gives twice who gives quickly lightning never strikes the same place twice measure twice, cut once once bitten, twice shy opportunity never knocks … Proverbs new dictionary
door — see a door must either be shut or open a creaking door hangs longest a golden key can open any door when one door shuts, another opens opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door a postern door makes a thief … Proverbs new dictionary
opportunity — see opportunity makes a thief opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity man’s extremity is God’s opportunity … Proverbs new dictionary
Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Thematic Index — absence absence makes the heart grow fonder he who is absent is always in the wrong the best of friends must part blue are the hills that are far away distance lends enchantment to the view out of sight, out of mind … Proverbs new dictionary
repetition — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Act of repeating Nouns 1. repetition, reiteration, harping; recurrence, reappearance; ré sumé, recapitulation, run; tautology, monotony, rhythm, periodicity, redundance, alliteration; diffuseness. See… … English dictionary for students
occasion — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Opportunity Nouns occasion, opportunity, opening, room; circumstance, event, opportuneness; crisis, turn, juncture, psychological moment, conjuncture; turning point; given time; nick of time; chance of a … English dictionary for students
fortune — see fortune favours fools fortune favours the brave every man is the architect of his own fortune opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door … Proverbs new dictionary
knock — see opportunity never knocks twice at any man’s door … Proverbs new dictionary
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