"And now some learner tries to shear, But comes right little speed, I fear; 'The corn lies ill,' and aye we hear 'The sickle's bad:'
The byeword says, 'Ill shearer ne'er A gude hook had.'"--_The Har'st Rig._
An ill turn is soon done.
An ill wife and a new-kindled candle should hae their heads hadden down.
"But both must be done with care, caution, and discretion; otherwise you may put the candle out and make the wife worse."--_Kelly._
An ill-willy cow should hae short horns.
"It were a pity that a man of ill-nature should have much authority, for he'll be sure to abuse it."--_Kelly._
An ill-won penny will cast down a pound.
An inch breaks nae squares.
"A little difference ought not to occasion any contests among good neighbours."--_Kelly._
An inch o' a nag is worth a span o' an aiver.
"A little man, if smart and stout, is much preferable to an unwieldy lubber, though much bigger."--_Kelly._
An inch o' gude luck is worth a faddom o' forecast.
A nod frae a lord is a breakfast for a fool.
A nod o' honest men's eneugh.
A nod's as gude's a wink to a blind horse.
An olite mother maks a dawdie dochter.
An only dochter is either a deil or a daw.
An ounce o' mither-wit is worth a pound o' clergy.
An ounce o' wit is worth a pound o' lear.
"An ounce of mother-wit is worth a pound of school-wit."--_German._
An unlucky fish taks bad bait.
An unlucky man's cart is eithly coup'd.
An ye loe me look in my dish.
A delicate request for a second supply of soup.
A' owers are ill, but ower the water and ower the hill.
"All owers are repute to be vyce, Ower heich, ower law, ower rasch, ower nyce, Owre het or zit ower cauld."--_Cherrie and the Slae._
A' owers spills.
A party pot ne'er plays even.
An interested or prejudiced individual cannot be an impartial judge of both sides of a question.
A penny hain'd's a penny clear, and a preen a-day's a groat a-year.
A penny hain'd's a penny gained.
A penny in my purse will gar me drink when my friends winna.
A penny in the purse is a gude friend.
A penny in the purse is better than a crown awa.
A pennyweight o' love is worth a pound o' law.
A pickle's no miss'd in a mickle.
A poll parrot thinks weel o' itsel.
A poor man is fain o' little.
A poor man's debt maks muckle din.
A pound o' care winna pay an ounce o' debt.
_Care_ here means sorrow, or trouble of mind, and must not be associated with _care_ in the sense of frugality or economy, which has paid many an ounce of debt.
A pound o' woo' is as heavy as a pound o' lead.
A primsie damsel maks a daidlin' dame.
A proud heart in a poor breast has muckle dolour to dree.
A proud mind and an empty purse gree ill thegither.
"A true proverb! and the worst is, they meet often."--_Kelly._
A raggit coat was ne'er a mote in a man's marriage.
A raggit cowte may be a gude gelding.
An uncouth, unpromising colt may turn out a fine horse. An ignorant, dull boy may ultimately prove a very clever man.
"Yet aft a ragged cowte's been known To mak a noble aiver; So, ye may doucely fill a throne, For a' their clish-ma-claver."--_Burns._