him

Could I tell him who's calling? and Can I tell her who's calling?; May I tell him who's calling?

a question asked by people who answer the telephone to find out politely who is asking for someone. (Him or her can be replaced by a person's name or by a plural pronoun.) Mary (on the phone): Hello. Could I speak to Bill Franklin? Sally: Could I tell him who's calling? Mary: It's Mary Peters. Sally: Oh yes, he's expecting your call. I'll get him for you.

See also: could, tell

Evil be to him who evil thinks.

Prov. May bad things happen to anyone who thinks evil things. (A curse against those who wish you harm. This is the English version of the French Honi soit qui malypense, the motto of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, a British order of knighthood.) The secret brotherhood took an oath of loyalty and finished their meeting by declaring, "Evil be to him who evil thinks."

See also: evil, think, who

Good things come to him who waits. and Everything comes to him who waits.

Prov. If you are patient you will get what you want. Fred: Why is it taking you so long to get dinner ready? Can't you hurry up? Ellen: Good things come to him who waits. Jill: I wish our train would get here. Jane: Everything comes to her who waits.

See also: come, good, thing, wait, who

If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him.

Prov. People need a deity to worship. (This is an English translation of a quote from Voltaire. It is often parodied, using a person's name instead of God and implying that the person is somehow necessary.) The atheist tried to convince Jerry that God does not exist, and that people should not waste their time worshiping Him. "But you can't stop people from worshiping God," Jerry replied. "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him." The unscrupulous mayor was such a convenient scapegoat for the city's problems that if she had not existed, it would have been necessary to invent her.

See also: did, god, if, invent, necessary

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I can't put a name to her/him.

something that you say when you cannot remember someone's name I can picture his face exactly but I can't put a name to him.

See also: her, name, put