wives



a good husband makes a good wife

If a husband treats his wife well, she will treat him well in return. I do the dishes because it gives Shannon much needed time to relax, and a good husband makes a good wife.
See also: good, husband, make, wife

old wives' tale

A now-debunked story or idea that was once believed, often superstitiously. How can you believe in that old wives' tale? Oh, that's just an old wives' tale! A broken mirror does not guarantee seven years' bad luck.
See also: old, tale

A good husband makes a good wife.

 and A good Jack makes a good Jill.
Prov. If a husband or man wants his wife or girlfriend to be respectful and loving to him, he should be respectful and loving to her. Don't blame your wife for being short-tempered with you; you've been so unpleasant to her lately. A good husband makes a good wife.
See also: good, husband, make, wife

old wives' tale

Fig. a myth or superstition. You really don't believe that stuff about starving a cold do you? It's just an old wives' tale.
See also: old, tale

an old wives' tale

a piece of advice or an idea which a lot of people believed in the past but which we now know is wrong It's an old wives' tale that drinking alcohol before you go to bed helps you sleep.
See also: old, tale

old wives' tale

A superstition, as in Toads cause warts? That's an old wives' tale. This expression was already known in ancient Greece, and a version in English was recorded in 1387. Despite invoking bigoted stereotypes of women and old people, it survives.
See also: old, tale

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
HÅKanHOK-ahnSwedish
MegMEGEnglish
Lys-Frisian
Adelardo-Spanish, Italian (Archaic)
Brigita-Slovene, Croatian, Latvian
PietraPYE-trahItalian