- Home
- Idioms
- shall
shall
speak of the devil, and he shall appear
An acknowledgment of a person who has arrived just as or after he or she was being discussed. John: "Hey everyone, sorry I'm late!" Dave: "Well, speak of the devil, and he shall appear! We were just talking about something funny you said the other day."
talk of the devil, and he shall appear
An acknowledgment of a person who has arrived just as or after he or she was being discussed. John: "Hey everyone, sorry I'm late!" Dave: "Well, talk of the devil, and he shall appear! We were just chatting about something funny you said the other day."
this too shall pass (away)
Nothing is permanent. This phrase is often used as encouragement to remind someone that a bad or unpleasant situation will eventually end. While I was going through my divorce, I was constantly reminding myself that this too shall pass. I know you're grieving now, but believe me, this too shall pass.
as you sow, so shall you reap
Your actions dictate the consequences. The phrase is Biblical in origin. Of course you're exhausted in class—you stay up too late! As you sow, so shall you reap. Of course you're being investigated for tax fraud—you've spent years trying to avoid paying them. As you sow, so shall you reap.
As you sow, so shall you reap,
and As a man sows, so shall he reap.Prov. Things will happen to you good or bad, according to how you behave. (Biblical.) You should stop being so cruel to other people. As you sow, so shall you reap. Fred built an immense fortune by swindling others, but lost it all when someone swindled him. As a man sows, so shall he reap.
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
Prov. If you do not expect good things to happen, you will not be disappointed when they fail to happen. Ellen: This is going to be the best vacation we've ever had; we're going to have fun every minute of every day. Fred: Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed. Jill: Do you think you'll win the contest? Jane: I like to keep in mind that blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
Seek and ye shall find.
Prov. If you search hard enough for something, you will find it. (Biblical. Can imply that the only thing you need to do to get something is look for it.) The bookstore on the corner is an excellent one. Any book you want, just seek and ye shall find.
never the twain shall meet
these two things or people will never exist together or agree with each other Psychologists believe in therapy, chemists believe in drugs, and never the twain shall meet.
Shall I be mother?
(British & Australian humorous) something that you say in order to ask whether you should serve food or drink to someone Here comes the tea. Shall I be mother?
You reap what you sow.
also As you sow, so shall you reap. (formal) something that you say which means everything that happens to you is a result of your own actions If you treat your friends like that, of course they drop you. You reap what you sow in this life.
Never the twain shall meet.
(literary) something that you say when two things or people are so different that they can never exist together or agree with each other Psychologists support behavioural therapy, pharmacologists support drugs, and never the twain shall meet.