every cock will crow upon his own dunghill
- every cock will crow upon his own dunghill
Everyone is confident or at ease when on home ground. Cf. SENECA Apocolocyn-tosis vii. gallum in suo sterquilinio plurimum posse, the cock is most powerful on his own dunghill; the work is a satire on Claudius’ deification at death, and Seneca is punning on Claudius’ provincial origin and interests, as gallus means both a cock and a Gaul.
a 1250 Ancrene Wisse (1952) 62 Coc is kene [bold] on his owune mixerne [midden].
1387 J. TREVISA tr. Higden’s Polychronicon (1879) VIII. 5 As Seneca seith, a cok is most myghty on his dongehille.
1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs I. xi. D2 He was at home there, he myght speake his will. Euery cocke is proude on his owne dunghill.
1771 SMOLLETT Humphry Clinker II. 178 Insolence..akin to the arrogance of the village cock, who never crows but upon his own dunghill.
1935 D. L. SAYERS Gaudy Night xix. ‘I believe you’re showing off.’.. ‘Every cock will crow upon his own dunghill.’
1980 M. GILBERT Death of Favourite Girl vii. Mariner seemed to be easy enough. A cock on his own dunghill.
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every — see every little helps every man for himself every man for himself, and devil take the hindmost every man for himself, and God for us all every man has his price every man is the architect of his own fortune … Proverbs new dictionary
crow — noun see on the first of March, the crows begin to search hawks will not pick out hawks’ eyes one for the mouse, one for the crow, one to rot, one to grow verb see every cock will crow upon his own dunghill a … Proverbs new dictionary
cock — see every cock will crow upon his own dunghill there’s many a good cock come out of a tattered bag the robin and the wren are God’s cock and hen; the martin and the swallow are God’s mate and marrow … Proverbs new dictionary
dunghill — see every cock will crow upon his own dunghill … 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
