Wednesday, March 03, 2010

In like a lion

Sometimes we get a classic proverb confused - is March coming in like a lamb and going out like a lion or is it coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb?

The first week of March has definitely come in like a lion with cold, rain, and snow in Georgia.

In our Reference collection we have several books of proverbs. The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs [PN 6421 .M36 2002] compiled by Martin H. Manser, notes this weather related proverb dates to before 1625.

I also checked the OED [Oxford English Dictionary PE 1625 .O8 1991, vol. IX pg 358] for the word march. The OED provided pages of information about the month and the physical activity of the march. Three proverbs are noted in the section defining the month, including the Facts on File Reference to Fletcher's 'Wife for a Month'.

There are free resources online but the free resources don't have the depth of information available in our print resources. Come inside, get out of the March weather and peruse our print resources!

-kls

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