old saw

Idioms and Phrases

A proverb or maxim, as in Mom's always repeating the old saw, “Haste makes waste.” This term uses saw in the sense of “saying,” and old in the sense of “wise” rather than old-fashioned. [Second half of 1400s]

Example Sentences

Stores that are over a year old saw a ten percent increase in sales over the previous November.

From The Daily Beast

As the old saw goes, Israelis love immigration, but not immigrants.

From The Daily Beast

It's an old saw that no Republican has won the White House without winning Ohio.

From The Daily Beast

So I went and got the bag of meal and my old saw out of the canoe, and fetched them to the house.

From Project Gutenberg

There is an old saw-mill on the creek, which was used as a hospital by the Twelfth Corps during the battle.

From Project Gutenberg

The soft tan bark was even more suitable for tumbling, leaping and jumping than the old saw-dust ring on the commons.

From Project Gutenberg

I had rather a remarkable illustration of the old saw this morning.

From Project Gutenberg

That is the revised version of an old saw, and I like it better.

From Project Gutenberg

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