The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (614 page)

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HANGING and wiving go by destiny
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WILFUL waste makes woeful want
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HUNGER drives the wolf out of the wood
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‘The old custom of beating a walnut-tree was carried out firstly to fetch down the fruit and secondly to break the long shoots and so encourage the production of short fruiting spurs’: M. Hadfield
British Trees
(1957) Cf. L.
nux
,
asinus
,
mulier verbere opus habent
, a nut tree, and ass, an a woman need a beating.
1581
Civil Conversation
III
. 20
I have redde, I know not where, these verses. A woman, an asse, and a walnut tree, Bring the more fruit the more beaten they bee.
1670
English Proverbs
50
A spaniel, a woman and a walnut tree, The more they're beaten the better still they be.
1836
Clockmaker
1st Ser. xxv.
There was an old sayin there [kent], which .. is not far off the mark: A woman, a dog, and a walnut tree, The more you lick' em, the better they be.
1929
Poet's Pub
xii.
A woman, a dog, and a walnut tree, The more you beat 'em, the better they be.
1945
Lark Rise
V
.
A handsome pie was placed before him .. such as seemed to .. illustrate the old saying, ‘A woman, a dog and a walnut tree, the more you beat'em the better they be.’
1981
Daily Telegraph
5 Feb. 17
It's not right to batter your wife. It's like the old saying, ‘A wife, a dog and a walnut tree, the more you beat them the better they be.’ It is just not true.
women

 
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Cf. PLAUTUS
Poenulus
ll. 210–15
negoti sibi qui volet vim parare
,
navem et mulierem
,
haec duo comparato … Neque umquam satis hae duae res ornantur
,
neque is ulla ornandi satis satietas est
, whoever wants to acquire a lot of trouble should get himself a ship and a woman. For neither of them is ever sufficiently equipped, and there is never enough means of equipping them.
1578
First Fruits
30
Who wil trouble hym selfe all dayes of his life, Let hym mary a woman, or buy hym a shyp.
1598
Mirror of Policy
(1599) X2
Is it not an old Prouebe. That Women and Shippes are neuer so perfect, but still there is somewhat to bee amended.
1640
Outlandish Proverbs
no. 780
A shippe and a woman are ever repairing.
1840
Two Years before Mast
iii.
As has often been said, a ship is like a lady's watch, always out of repair.
1928
Here comes Old Sailor
II
. vi.
There are special proverbs for us shipmen:.. ‘A woman and a ship ever want mending.’
women

 
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