Question

proverb “Waste not, want not” used to be a favorite proverb in many households. ˈprɑvərb

Accepted Answer

A brief, often-repeated statement that expresses a general truth or common observation. Proverbs probably appeared with the dawn of language. Sayings such as “A stitch in time saves nine,” or “Pride goeth before a fall,” or “Least said, soonest mended,” or “To everything there is a season” are easily memorized nuggets of wisdom. But the convenient thing about proverbs is that there's often one for every point of view. For every “Look before you leap” there's a “He who hesitates is lost.” “A fool and his money are soon parted” can be countered with “To make money you have to spend money.” A cynic once observed, “Proverbs are invaluable treasures to dunces with good memories.

word	proverb
definition	A brief, often-repeated statement that expresses a general truth or common observation.
eg_sentence	“Waste not, want not” used to be a favorite proverb in many households.
explanation	Proverbs probably appeared with the dawn of language. Sayings such as “A stitch in time saves nine,” or “Pride goeth before a fall,” or “Least said, soonest mended,” or “To everything there is a season” are easily memorized nuggets of wisdom. But the convenient thing about proverbs is that there's often one for every point of view. For every “Look before you leap” there's a “He who hesitates is lost.” “A fool and his money are soon parted” can be countered with “To make money you have to spend money.” A cynic once observed, “Proverbs are invaluable treasures to dunces with good memories.
IPA	ˈprɑvərb

Proverb Money Often Repeated Statement Expresses General Truth Common