what’s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh
- what’s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh
Lifelong habits or inherited characteristics cannot be concealed (
cf. blood will tell). The form and emphasis of the proverb have been altered in recent years by the omission of a negative.
Cf. medieval
L. osse radicatum raro de carne recedit, that which is rooted in the bone rarely comes out from the flesh.
c 1470 MALORY Morte d’Arthur (1947) I. 550 Sir Launcelot smyled and seyde, Harde hit ys to take oute off the fleysshe that ys bredde in the bone.
1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs II. viii. K2 This prouerbe prophecied many yeres agone, It will not out of the fleshe, thats bred in the bone.
1603 J. FLORIO tr. Montaigne’s Essays III. xiii. They are effects of custome and vse: and what is bred in the bone will never out of the flesh.
1832 J. P. KENNEDY Swallow Barn III. v. What is bred in the bone—you know the proverb.
a 1957 L. I. WILDER First Four Years (1971) iv. We’ll always be farmers, for what is bred in the bone will come out in the flesh.
1981 B. HEALEY Last Ferry iv. There’s bad blood there... What’s bred in the bone comes out in the flesh.
Proverbs new dictionary.
Look at other dictionaries:
what's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh — ► what s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (or blood) proverb a person s behaviour or characteristics are determined by their heredity. Main Entry: ↑bone … English terms dictionary
what's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh — I what s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (or blood) proverb a person s behavior or characteristics are determined by heredity II what s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (or blood) see bone … Useful english dictionary
what's bred in the bone will come out in the blood — ► what s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (or blood) proverb a person s behaviour or characteristics are determined by their heredity. Main Entry: ↑bone … English terms dictionary
bred-in-the-bone — /bred n dheuh bohn /, adj. 1. firmly instilled or established as if by heredity: the bred in the bone integrity of the school s headmaster. 2. deeply committed or resolved; unwavering: a bred in the bone believer in civil rights. [from the… … Universalium
bred-in-the-bone — | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ adjective 1. : very deeply inculcated : made in essential of an overall character his bred in the bone honesty the bred in the bone frugality of the peasantry 2. : marked by a quality, trait, or belief that is inveterate, deep … Useful english dictionary
bone — ► NOUN 1) any of the pieces of hard, whitish tissue making up the skeleton in vertebrates. 2) the hard material of which bones consist. 3) a thing resembling a bone, such as a strip of stiffening for an undergarment. ► VERB 1) remove the bones… … English terms dictionary
bone — see what’s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh you buy land, you buy stones; you buy meat, you buy bones a dog that will fetch a bone will carry a bone hard words break no bones the nearer the bone, the sweeter the meat … Proverbs new dictionary
flesh — see what’s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh … Proverbs new dictionary
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