it’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest
- it’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest
A condemnation of a person who vilifies his own family, country, etc. Cf. medieval L. nidos commaculans inmundus habebitur ales, the bird is unclean that soils its nest.
a 1250 Owl & Nightingale (1960) 1. 99 Dahet habbe [a curse on] that ilke best that fuleth his owe nest.
c 1400 N. BOZON Moral Tales (1889) 205 Hyt ys a fowle brydde that fylyth hys owne neste.
1591 H. SMITH Preparative to Marriage 82 It becommeth not any woman to set light by her husband, nor to publish his infirmities for they say, it is an euill bird that defileth his owne nest.
1670 J. RAY English Proverbs 62 It’s an ill bird that beraies its own nest.
1817 SCOTT Rob Roy II. xiii. Where’s the use o’ vilifying ane’s country... It’s an ill bird that files its ain nest.
1926 Times 7 Sept. 17 Nothing..can excuse the bad taste of Samuel Butler’s virulent attack upon his defenceless family... It’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest.
2000 C. GOFF Rant of Ravens i. 2 Miriam cleared her throat. ‘It’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest, dear. If you ask me, it’s about time you dumped him.’
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bird — see a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush a bird never flew on one wing there are no birds in last year’s nest birds in their little nests agree birds of a feather flock together little birds th … Proverbs new dictionary
ill — see it’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest ill gotten goods never thrive he that has an ill name is half hanged it’s ill waiting for dead men’s shoes ill weeds grow apace it’s an ill wind that blows nobody a … Proverbs new dictionary
nest — see there are no birds in last year’s nest birds in their little nests agree it’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest … Proverbs new dictionary
dirty — see dirty water will quench fire it’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest don’t throw out your dirty water until you get in fresh one does not wash one’s dirty linen in public … Proverbs new dictionary
foul — see it’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest … Proverbs new dictionary
Vogel — 1. A Fôglar diar so êder sjong, gung a Kâter iar inj aauer a dik me (wegh me üüb a Dâi). (Amrum.) – Haupt, VIII, 351, 19. Die Vögel, die so früh singen, mit denen geht die Katze über den Deich (am Tage weg). 2. A grosser Vogel braucht a gross… … Deutsches Sprichwörter-Lexikon
List of My Family episodes — The following is a list of episodes for the British sitcom My Family, that aired on BBC One from 19 September 2000 to 2 September 2011.[1] Contents 1 Overview 2 Episodes 2.1 Series One … Wikipedia
