skinny steve
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This is the shortened form of the full idiom, 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't', and means that it is often better to deal with someone or something you are familiar with and know, even if they are not ideal, than take a risk with an unknown person or thing
It is of Irish origin.
| 11 years ago. Rating: 6 | |
thank you wonderdyke.It is a phrase i often hear but was curious as to its origins, i thought it might have been a corruption of a phrase from the bible(?). I shall now go and find about Richard Taverner.
Steve if you google its origin it comes up with the info you are looking for , you are more than welcome :)
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English author, Richard Taverner. It's a proverb of Irish origin and
it first appeared a collection of sayings Taverner published in 1539.