American proverbs (B / C / D)

B

• Beauty is skin deep, but ugly goes to the bone - W.C. Fields
• Be careful what you wish for.

Variant: Be careful what you wish for, you might get it.

• Be the best that you can be.
• Be yourself in every situation.
• Beggars can't be choosers.
• Begin where you end.
  • Plan with a desired outcome in mind.
• Better late than never.
• Better safe than sorry.
• Be useful better than beautiful.
• Back to square one.
• Butter would not melt in her mouth.

C

• Can't see it from my house
• Curiosity killed the cat

Variant: Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

• Close, but no cigar.
• Close is nice, but it isn't enough.
• Clothes make the man, naked people have little or no influence in society. - Mark Twain
• Close enough for government work.
• Chase two rabbits and they'll both get away.
  • Don't overextend yourself.
• Character is what you are in the dark.
  • Public image is not as important as true character.

D

• Different strokes for different folks.
  • Different people have different opinions on things. [From the chorus of "Everyday People" by Sly and the Family Stone]
• Do as I say, not as I do.
• Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.
  • If you are going to do something you are not supposed to, be ready to accept the consequences.
• Don't remove a fly from your friend's head with a hatchet.
• Don't bite the hand that feeds you.
• Don't get high on your own supply.
  • Don't get greedy or don't get so much stuff that most of it is useless.
  • Explanation: From drug dealers using their own drugs, which severely cuts into one's profit.
• Don't let your mouth write checks your ass can't cash.
• Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
  • You look in the mouth of a horse to see if it's healthy; it means you shouldn't be concerned about how nice the gift is, but rather that they are being given you a gift
• Don't make your monster so big that you can't feed it. Jamie Matthews
  • Don't make your project so ambitious that you won't be able to keep up with it day to day.
• Don't take any wooden nickels
  • Don't get cheated.
• Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
  • Don’t assume that you’ll get the things you want until you have them.
• Don't say it, do it.
• Don't walk around with your butt on your shoulders.
  • Don't be overly proud based on your achievements. The quote refers to a star athlete (or hero) being carried off the field on the shoulders of praising fans or teammates. This quote may also refer to walking around with ones head up their butt, which would result in one not knowing what is going on around them because they are focusing on themselves.
• Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
• Don't be sorry, be different!
• Don't ever let school get in the way of your education. [Mark Twain]