pride goes before a fall

pride goes before a fall
Pride precedes disaster. An elliptical version of PROVERBS xvi. 18 (AV) Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

c 1390 GOWER Confessio Amantis I. 3062 Pride..schal doun falle.

1509 A. BARCLAY Ship of Fools 195v First or last foule pryde wyll haue a fall.

1784 S. JOHNSON Letter 2 Aug. (1952) III. 191 I am now reduced to think..of the weather. Pride must have a fall.

1856 H. MELVILLE Piazza Tales 431 The bell’s main weakness was where man’s blood had flawed it. And so pride went before the fall.

1930 W. S. MAUGHAM Cakes & Ale v. I suppose he thinks he’d be mayor himself... Pride goeth before a fall.

1980 M. L. WEST in K. J. Dover Ancient Greek Literature iii. The spectacle of Xerxes’ defeat tremendously reinforced the traditional conviction that pride goes before a fall.

2001 K. HALL PAGE Body in Moonlight epilogue 233 Millicent had disagreed. Vanity, pure and simple. Pride goeth before a fall. It was one of the maxims by which Millicent lived.


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  • Pride goes before a fall — is a paraphrase of an ancient Hebrew proverb, designed to warn that pride will often cause one to fall or fail. Another variant on this quotation is Pride comes before the fall .OverviewThe full text of Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before… …   Wikipedia

  • pride goes before a fall — Excessive pride or confidence can allow people to make mistakes or go wrong …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • pride goes before a fall — pride goes (or comes) before a fall proverb if you re too conceited or self important, something will happen to make you look foolish * * * pride comes/goes before a ˈfall idiom (saying) if you have too high an opinion of yourself or your… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pride goes before a fall — ► pride goes (or comes) before a fall proverb if you re too self important, something will happen to make you look foolish. Main Entry: ↑pride …   English terms dictionary

  • Pride goes before a fall —  is wrong. The quotation, from Proverbs, is Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • pride comes before a fall — pride comes/goes before a ˈfall idiom (saying) if you have too high an opinion of yourself or your abilities, sth will happen to make you look stupid Main entry: ↑prideidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • pride comes before a fall — ► pride goes (or comes) before a fall proverb if you re too self important, something will happen to make you look foolish. Main Entry: ↑pride …   English terms dictionary

  • Pride — is a lofty view of one s self or one s own. Pride often manifests itself as a high opinion of one s nation (national pride), ethnicity (ethnic pride), or appearance and abilities (vanity). Pride is considered a negative attribute by most major… …   Wikipedia

  • pride — ► NOUN 1) a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from achievements, qualities, or possessions. 2) a cause or source of such a feeling. 3) consciousness of one s own dignity. 4) the quality of having an excessively high opinion of… …   English terms dictionary

  • pride — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Sense of self worth Nouns 1. pride, hauteur; dignity, self respect, self esteem, self sufficiency, reserve. 2. (sympton of pride) arrogance, insolence; ostentation; vanity, vainglory, crest, airs, high… …   English dictionary for students

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