Proverb

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: prov=erb

CIDE DICTIONARY

Proverb, n. [OE. proverbe, F. proverbe, from L. proverbium; pro before, for + verbum a word. See Verb.].

•  An old and common saying; a phrase which is often repeated; especially, a sentence which briefly and forcibly expresses some practical truth, or the result of experience and observation; a maxim; a saw; an adage.  Chaucer. Bacon.  [1913 Webster]
•  A striking or paradoxical assertion; an obscure saying; an enigma; a parable.  [1913 Webster]

  "His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb."  [1913 Webster]
•  A familiar illustration; a subject of contemptuous reference.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by word, among all nations."  [1913 Webster]
•  A drama exemplifying a proverb.  [1913 Webster]

Book of Proverbs, a canonical book of the Old Testament, containing a great variety of wise maxims.

Syn. -- Maxim; aphorism; apothegm; adage; saw.

Proverb, v. t. 

•  To name in, or as, a proverb.  [1913 Webster]

  "Am I not sung and proverbed for a fool ?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To provide with a proverb.  [1913 Webster]

  "I am proverbed with a grandsire phrase."  [1913 Webster]

Proverb, v. i. 

 To write or utter proverbs.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Proverb, n.
1 a short pithy saying in general use, held to embody a general truth.
2 a person or thing that is notorious (he is a proverb for inaccuracy).
3 (Proverbs or Book of Proverbs) a didactic poetic Old Testament book of maxims attributed to Solomon and others.

Etymology

ME f. OF proverbe or L proverbium (as PRO-(1), verbum word)

THESAURUS

Proverb

adage, ana, analects, aphorism, apophthegm, apothegm, axiom, bromide, byword, catchword, cliche, coin a phrase, collected sayings, commonplace, current saying, dictate, dictum, distich, epigram, expression, gnome, golden saying, homily, maxim, moral, mot, motto, oracle, phrase, pithy saying, platitude, precept, prescript, proverbial saying, proverbs, saw, saying, sentence, sententious expression, sloka, stock saying, sutra, teaching, text, truism, verse, wisdom, wisdom literature, wise saying, witticism, word, words of wisdom

ROGET THESAURUS

Proverb

Maxim

N maxim, aphorism, apothegm, apophthegm, dictum, saying, adage, saw, proverb, sentence, mot, motto, word, byword, moral, phylactery, protasis, axiom, theorem, scholium, truism, postulate, first principles, a priori fact, assumption (supposition), reflection, conclusion, golden rule, principle, principia, profession of faith, settled principle, accepted principle, formula, accepted fact, received truth, wise maxim, sage maxim, received maxim, admitted maxim, recognized maxim, true saying, common saying, hackneyed saying, trite saying, commonplace saying, aphoristic, proverbial, phylacteric, axiomatic, gnomic, as the saying goes, as the saying is, as they say.