crosses are ladders that lead to heaven

crosses are ladders that lead to heaven
There are two strands to the proverb, punning on two meanings of cross: in one, cross signifies the crucifix; in the other, it means ‘trouble, misfortune’.

1616 T. DRAXE Adages 36 The Crosse is the ladder of heauen.

1670 J. RAY English Proverbs 6 Crosses are ladders that do lead to heaven.

1859 S. SMILES Self-Help xi. If there be real worth in the character..it will give forth its finest fragrance when pressed. ‘Crosses’ says the old proverb, ‘are ladders that lead to heaven.’

1975 J. O’FAOLAIN Women in Wall iv. The cross, they say, is the ladder to heaven and so I have sent your lordship..two.


Proverbs new dictionary.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • heaven — see heaven protects children, sailors, and drunken men crosses are ladders that lead to heaven God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world marriages are made in heaven see also God …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • lead — see if you are not the lead dog, the view never changes when the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch crosses are ladders that lead to heaven all roads lead to Rome …   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

  • pain — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Suffering Noun 1. pain, suffering, sufferance; hurt, cut; discomfort, painfulness; discomfort, malaise; nightmare; anguish, agony, misery, excruciation, torment, torture, rack; Weltschmerz; distress,… …   English dictionary for students

  • Kreuz — 1. Anderer creutz lere dich das dein tragen. – Franck, I, 148b; Gruter, I, 5; Schottel, 1441b. Dän.: Andres kors lære dig at bære dit. – Lær du af andres kors hvorledes du skal bære dit. (Prov. dan., 355 u. 373.) 2. Creutz bewehrt tugent. –… …   Deutsches Sprichwörter-Lexikon

  • no cross, no crown — Cross is used here punningly as in crosses are ladders that lead to heaven. 1609 T. BRETNOR Almanac March, Good days A crosse before a Crowne. 1621 F. QUARLES History of Queene Ester: Meditations ix. The way to Blisse lyes not on beds of Downe,… …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • cross — noun see no cross, no crown crosses are ladders that lead to heaven verb see don’t cross the bridge till you come to it …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • ladder — see crosses are ladders that lead to heaven …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • Zugspitze — The Zugspitze massif from the west (left: the summit) Elevation 2,962 m (9,718 ft)  …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”