greater love hath no man than this
Used to introduce some great sacrifice or demonstration of selfless goodwill. The phrase comes from the New Testament of the Bible (John 15:13): "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Today we honor those of our military who gave their lives to protect our country. Truly, greater love hath no man than this. A: "Why would this man jump in front of a car to save me? I don't even know him!" B: "I don't have all the answers. All I can say is, greater love hath no man than this." I think it's a natural impulse to want to protect the people you love and care about. As the Bible says, greater love hath no man than this.
he that hath a full purse never wanted a friend
proverb Wealthy people usually have no trouble finding and keeping friends. Of course Paul has a lot of hangers-on now that he's a famous actor—he that hath a full purse never wanted a friend. A: "Naturally, when she lost her fame and fortune, all those hangers-on deserted her." B: "So it's true what they say—he that hath a full purse never wanted a friend." If I'd just won the lottery, yeah, I'd be wary of new friends. He that hath a full purse never wanted a friend!
hell hath no fury like a (certain type of person) scorned
No one will have a greater wrath or vengeance than (this type of person) when they have been wronged. A hyperbolic and often humorous play on the phrase "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," in which any person, demographic, or profession may be substituted for "woman." The university might think nothing of hiking up the cost of tuition, but we'll show them that Hell hath no fury like a broke college student scorned! The governor, after veering away from his party's core ideologies, is now discovering that hell hath no fury like politicians scorned. You took away Allie's favorite toy? Yeah, no wonder she's screaming—hell hath no fury like a toddler scorned!
hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
proverb No one will have a greater wrath or vengeance than a woman when she has been wronged. Most men find out the hard way that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Why would you cheat on your girlfriend? Don't you know that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned? That deceitful jerk is going to learn the hard way that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
what hath God wrought
"What has God done"; usually used to express one's awe. The phrase originated in the Bible and, in 1844, Samuel Morse sent it as the first telegram. Every time I look at my infant daughter, all I can do is marvel—what hath God wrought.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
He that hath a full purse never wanted a friend.
Prov. A rich person always has plenty of friends. Jill: Ever since Joe won the lottery, he's been getting congratulations from friends and relatives he hasn't heard from in years. Jane: You know how it is. He that hath a full purse never wanted a friend.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Prov. There is nothing as unpleasant as a woman who has been offended or whose love has not been returned. When Mary Ann discovered that George was not in love with her, George discovered that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Bill: I'm getting tired of going out with Mary; I think I'll tell her we're through. Fred: Be careful. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, you know.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
hell has no fury like a woman scorned
No anger is worse than that of a jilted woman. For example, Nancy has nothing good to say about Tom-hell has no fury, you know. This term is a shortening of William Congreve's lines, "Heav'n has no rage, like love to hatred turn'd, nor Hell a fury like a woman scorn'd" ( The Mourning Bride, 1697). Similar lines appear in several plays of the same period. Today the proverb is often shortened even more, as in the example.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
mainly BRITISHPeople say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned to suggest that women often react very angrily to things that upset them. Benjamin's attention shifts from Mrs Robinson to her daughter Elaine and hell hath no fury like an older woman scorned. Note: Journalists often use other words in this expression to make it appropriate to the subject which they are writing about. The golfer, having decided not to attend next week's International Open competition, has discovered that hell hath no fury like a sponsor spurned. Note: This expression is often used to refer to cases where a woman has an unfaithful partner and takes revenge. Note: This comes from William Congreve's `The Mourning Bride' (1697): `Heav'n has no rage, like love to hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a fury, like a woman scorn'd.'
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
a woman who has been rejected by a man can be ferociously angry and vindictive. proverbFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
hell hath no ˈfury (like a woman ˈscorned)
(British English, saying) used to refer to somebody, usually a woman, who has reacted very angrily to something, especially the fact that her husband or lover has been unfaithful (= has had a sexual relationship with another woman): He should have known better than to leave her for that young girl. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Hath is an old form of has.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
greater love hath no man
A supreme sacrifice; the ultimate demonstration of friendship or goodwill. The term comes from the Bible: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Detective-story aficionado Anthony Boucher (The Case of the Seven Sneezes, 1942) made an amusing play on it: “Greater love hath no man than this, that he should lay down his checkbook for his life.”
hell has no fury like a woman scorned
Beware the anger of a woman rejected in love. The term is an adaptation of the closing lines from William Congreve’s play The Mourning Bride (1697): “Heav’n has no rage, like love to hatred turn’d, nor Hell a fury like a woman scorn’d.” Neither the idea nor the expression was original. At least three seventeenth-century plays had similar lines, including Colley Cibber’s “No fiend in hell can match the fury of a disappointed woman—scorned, slighted” (Love’s Last Shift, 1696), and the idea had been expressed by the Roman writers Propertius and Juvenal, by Chaucer, and by numerous others.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer