J, L Sayings

(English Idioms & Sayings) Sayings start with J, L

jump out of the frying pan and into the fire

- to leave one dangerous or bad situation for a situation that is worse
My friend jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. He changed jobs and had more problems in his new job than in his old one.

just what the doctor ordered

- something that is good for someone to have or to do
The holiday was just what the doctor ordered and the employee returned to work energetic and refreshed.

a leopard can't change his spots

- you cannot change someone's basic human nature
The supervisor tried to have a good relationship with his staff but a leopard can't change his spots and he still had problems with those around him

let bygones be bygones

- to forget the problems of the past
My aunt decided to let bygones be bygones and she finally decided to talk to my mother again.

let sleeping dogs lie

- to not make trouble if you do not need to
"You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask your friend for the money that he owes you."

let the buyer beware (from the Latin - caveat emptor)

- the buyer of something is responsible to research the quality of a purchase before buying it
The idea to let the buyer beware is important when you buy something.

let the dead bury their dead

- to think about the present and try not to remember and think about past events and people
It would be better for the woman to let the dead bury their dead and stop thinking about what happened with her sister many years ago.

lightning never strikes twice (in the same place)

- the same type of misfortune does not occur twice to the same person
Lightning never strikes twice and I do not think that our house will be flooded again.

like father, like son

- a boy is often similar to his father
The boy always copied his father. It was very much like father, like son.

a little hard work never hurt/killed anyone

- one should expect to do hard or difficult work and not try to avoid doing it
The mother said that a little hard work never hurt anyone and asked her son to clean the kitchen.

a little knowledge is a dangerous thing

- knowing a little about something may make someone believe that they know too much and therefore make bad choices or choices that some people dislike
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and when the citizens became better educated, they began to make choices that the government did not like.

little pitchers have big ears

- small children often hear things that you think they won't notice or things that they are not supposed to hear
Little pitchers have big ears and we were very surprised that the little boy understood everything that we had said.

live and let live

- to be tolerant and accept other people who may be different
People in a large city must learn to live and let live.

live high off the hog

- to be living in prosperous circumstances
I have been living high off the hog since I got my new job with its high salary.

lock the barn door after the horse is stolen

- to take care or try to make something safe after it is too late
The stadium managers tried to stop people from entering the stadium. But thousands of people had already entered. They were locking the barn door after the horse was stolen.

love is blind

- being in love with someone blinds you to his or her bad points
The girl was not very attractive to most people but love is blind and her boyfriend loved her very much.

love me, love my dog

- if you really love someone then you should love everything about him or her
"Love me, love my dog", the man told his fiance when she asked him to sell his favorite chair which she hated.

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