beggar (redirected from beggar belief)

beggar (all) description

to defy description; to be unable to be described. The house was a horrible mess. The place beggared description. Our reaction to the proposal beggars description. We were deeply disturbed for days.

See also: description

Beggars can't be choosers.

Prov. If someone gives you something you asked for, you should not complain about what you get. I asked Joe to lend me his bicycle, and he sent me this old, rusty one. But beggars can't be choosers. Jill: Let me wear your green dress; I don't like the blue one you lent me. Jane: Beggars can't be choosers.

If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.

Prov. People make a lot of wishes, but wishing is useless. Jill: If I were Queen of the World, I would make sure that everyone had enough to eat. Jane: And if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. Alan: I sure wish I had one of those expensive cameras. Jane: If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.

See also: if, ride, wish

Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the devil.

Prov. If a poor person becomes wealthy, he or she will quickly become corrupt. Jill: Since Phil inherited all that money, all he does is go to parties and take drugs. Jane: Yep. Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the devil.

See also: and, devil, ride, set

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Beggars can't be choosers.

something that you say which means when you cannot have exactly what you want, you must accept whatever you can get I would have preferred a house of my own rather than sharing but I suppose beggars can't be choosers.