Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A saying that sets forth a general truth and that has gained credit through long use. synonym: saying.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A pithy saying in current use; a brief familiar proverb; an expression of popular wisdom, generally figurative, in a single phrase or sentence, and of remote origin.
- noun Synonyms Aphorism, Axiom, Maxim, etc. See
aphorism .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun An old saying, which has obtained credit by long use; a proverb.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun An old saying, which has obtained credit by long use.
- noun An old saying, which has been
overused or considered acliché ; atrite maxim .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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We will begin today with a demonstration of some of the basic, yet difficult ballet exercises, what we call the adage portion of our class, to be performed by my primary class students.
Butterfly V.C. Andrews 1998
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We will begin today with a demonstration of some of the basic, yet difficult ballet exercises, what we call the adage portion of our class, to be performed by my primary class students.
Butterfly V.C. Andrews 1998
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While the old adage is certainly true -- there are only two kinds of wine; those you like, and those you don't -- it's not true that there aren't discernible qualities in wine that should be evident to most consumers.
Cautiously Raising a Glass to Single-Vineyard Finger Lakes Wines 2009
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Just goes to show the old adage is true, you can take the monkey out of the jungle but you can't take the jungle out of the monkey.
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A popular Wall Street adage is that gridlock is good because it keeps the government from implementing new policies that further intervene in the private economy.
Economists React: Just How Good Is Gridlock? Phil Izzo 2010
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He said the aged adage is loyal - once we get married, the sex stops.
Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009
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"A popular Wall Street adage is that" gridlock is good "because it keeps the government from implementing new policies that further intervene in the private economy," the report said.
Stocks Gain As Fed Word On Stimulus Awaited By PAMELA SAMPSON 2010
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He said the aged adage is loyal - once we get married, the sex stops.
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But sometimes this old adage is still the most apt: "The best way to get published by Marvel and DC is to get published elsewhere first."
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In the current era of testing for performance-enhancing substances, that adage is coming into favor again.
nuxiy commented on the word adage
"Appreciating the adage, that "money is power," he married Herdisa, the daughter of a priest called Bersi the Rich--a very enviable surname, which, no doubt, enabled the reverend gentleman to brave the bulls and decrees of popes and councils, and take to himself a wife--who brought him a very considerable fortune."
- Norðurfari; or, Rambles in Iceland
May 20, 2009
100000232338334 commented on the word adage
There should be an adage, proud as a vampire. -Charlaine Harris, Living Dead in Dallas
December 11, 2010