better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is
- better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is
Herbs here is used in the archaic sense of ‘plants of which the leaves are used as food’, and a stalled ox is one that is fattened in a stall for slaughter. With allusion to PROVERBS xv. 17 (Geneva (1560) translation, which is closely followed by AV) Better is a dinner of green herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
1817 S. SMITH Letter 13 Mar. in S. Holland Memoir (1855) II. 138 When you think of that amorous and herbivorous parish of Covent Garden, and compare it with my agricultural benefice, you will say, ‘Better is the dinner of herbs where love is, than the stalled ox,’ etc. etc.
1914 ‘SAKI’ Beasts & Super-Beasts 227 The ox had finished the vase-flowers..and appeared to be thinking of leaving its rather restricted quarters... I forget how the proverb runs... Something about ‘better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is’.
1979 J. DRUMMOND I saw Him Die viii. ‘Lunch was a silent affair... I said, “Better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is.”’
Proverbs new dictionary.
Look at other dictionaries:
better — see better a century of tyranny than one day of chaos better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is better a good cow than a cow of a good kind better are small fish than an empty dish better be an old man’s darling, than a young man’s … Proverbs new dictionary
dinner — see after dinner rest a while, after supper walk a mile better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is … Proverbs new dictionary
hate — see better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is … Proverbs new dictionary
hate — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Intense dislike Nouns 1. hate, hatred, abhorrence, loathing; disaffection, disfavor; alienation, estrangement, coolness; enmity, hostility, animosity, resentment; spite, despite, bad blood; malice (see… … English dictionary for students
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
herb — see better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is … Proverbs new dictionary
ox — see better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is … Proverbs new dictionary
stall — see better a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox where hate is … Proverbs new dictionary
