breed

Familiarity breeds contempt.

Prov. People do not respect someone they know well enough to know his or her faults. The movie star doesn't let anyone get to know him, because he knows that familiarity breeds contempt.

See also: contempt

Like breeds like.

Prov. People tend to raise children who are like them; something tends to give rise to things that resemble it. Jill: I think Fred's little boy is going to be just as disagreeable as Fred. Jane: That's no surprise. Like breeds like.

See also: like

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breed like rabbits  (informal)

if people breed like rabbits, they produce too many babies very quickly It's like I was saying to Derek, they all intermarry and they breed like rabbits.

See also: like, rabbit

Familiarity breeds contempt.

something that you say which means if you know someone very well or experience something a lot, you stop respecting them You two are going to find it difficult living and working together. Familiarity breeds contempt, you know.

See also: contempt