(The complete archive of redefined old proverbs can be found here.)
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration
Recognized Meaning: Great accomplishments depend not so much on ingenuity as on hard work.
Alternate Meaning: Smart people are sweaty.
All that glitters is not gold
Recognized Meaning: Things that appear on the surface to be of great value may be quite worthless.
Alternate Meaning: The dog’s been eating glitter again.
You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar
Recognized Meaning: You can win people to your side more easily by gentle persuasion and flattery than by hostile confrontation.
Alternate Meaning: Rubbing honey on the webbing of your baseball mitt does more good than vinegar.
A man is known by the company he keeps
Recognized Meaning: Our character is reflected in our choice of friends.
Alternate Meaning: Think twice before adding a pornstar to your Myspace friend’s list.
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