quickly
a little fire is quickly trodden out
proverb A minor problem can be resolved quickly, but if it is left unattended, it may become more serious and unmanageable. A shortening of "a little fire is quickly trodden out, which being suffered, rivers cannot quench," which comes from Shakespeare's Henry VI. It's only a minor problem for the time being. A little fire is quickly trodden out, so let's come up with a solution so that it will be resolved as soon as possible. Gentlemen, this problem in the financial sector wreak havoc on the economy down the line. We still have time, but we must we act now—a little fire is quickly trodden out!
See also: fire, little, out, quickly, trodden
as soon as possible
At the earliest opportunity. Call your mother as soon as possible—she's very worried about you.
See also: possible, soon
easy come, easy go
When something is easily obtained, it is typically lost just as easily. Of course you found a $10 on the street and immediately spent it—easy come, easy go!
See also: easy, go
good and quickly seldom meet
proverb Things that are done well are often done slowly and carefully. There's no way you've done a good job if you're finished with your book report already. After all, good and quickly seldom meet.
See also: and, good, meet, quickly, seldom
he gives twice who gives quickly
proverb It is best to help someone immediately, even if waiting might ultimately allow you to offer more aid. It's OK, just give them whatever money you can—he gives twice who gives quickly.
See also: give, he, quickly, twice, who
none too
Not much, not very, or not at all. We got there none too early. My husband could use some project to work on; he's been none too busy since he lost his job.
See also: none
the mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken
proverb A person should always have multiple options, backup plans, and alternative resources available, as relying solely on one thing can result in inescapable difficulty should it fail or be taken away. I just think it's risky building an entire business off one product. What happens if starts to fail on the market. The mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken, after all. The best advice I can give is to diversify your sources of revenue, because the mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken.
See also: but, hole, mouse, one, quickly, taken, that
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
easy come, easy go
Cliché said to explain the loss of something that required only a small amount of effort to acquire in the first place. Ann found twenty dollars in the morning and spent it foolishly at noon. "Easy come, easy go," she said. John spends his money as fast as he can earn it. With John it's easy come, easy go.
See also: easy, go
He gives twice who gives quickly.
Prov. When someone asks you for something, it is more helpful to give something right away than to wait, even if you might be able to give more if you waited. Morris didn't have all the money his sister asked for, but he sent what he had immediately, knowing that he gives twice who gives quickly.
See also: give, he, quickly, twice, who
mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken
Prov. It is dangerous to always depend on just one thing, because if it fails you, you will not have any alternatives. Don't put all your money in a single bank account. The mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken.
See also: but, hole, mouse, one, quickly, taken, that
none too something
not very something; not at all something. The towels in the bathroom were none too clean. It was none too warm in their house.
See also: none
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
easy come, easy go
Readily won and readily lost, as in Easy come, easy go-that's how it is for Mark when he plays the stock market. This phrase states a truth known since ancient times and expressed in numerous proverbs with slightly different wording ( lightly come, lightly go; quickly come, quickly go). The adverb easy was substituted in the early 1800s.
See also: easy, go
none too
Also, not too. Not very, as in The application arrived none too soon, or I'm afraid this secretary is not too smart, or He was here not too long ago. The first usage was first recorded in 1885; the variant dates from about 1920. Also see not all that.
See also: none
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
easy come, easy go
INFORMALYou say easy come, easy go to mean that if money or objects are easy to get, you do not care very much about spending it or losing them. Note: In the first idiom below, ABC is pronounced `a b c', as if you are spelling it out. My attitude to money is easy come, easy go. That's to say, I earn a lot, but I also give quite a lot away in different ways.
See also: easy, go
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
easy come, easy go
used to indicate that something acquired without effort or difficulty may be lost or spent casually and without regret.Although recorded in this exact form only from the mid 19th century, easy come, easy go had parallels in medieval French and in the English sayings light come, light go (mid 16th century) and quickly come, quickly go (mid 19th century).
See also: easy, go
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
ˌeasy ˈcome, ˌeasy ˈgo
(saying) something that has been obtained very easily and quickly may be lost or wasted in the same way: Her parents have given her all the money she wants, but she’s always in debt. With her, it’s a case of easy come, easy go.See also: easy, go
none too ˈclever, ˈhappy, ˈquickly, etc.
not at all clever, quickly, etc: The driver was none too pleased about having to leave so early. Her chances of winning are none too good, I’m afraid.See also: none
as quickly, much, soon, etc. as ˈpossible
as quickly, much, soon, etc. as you can: We will get your order to you as soon as possible.See also: possible
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
easy come, easy go
What is readily achieved or gained is also readily lost. This principle was noted hundreds of years ago by the Chinese sage Chuang-tsze (“Quickly come and quickly go,” ca. 400 b.c.) and appears several times in Chaucer’s writings—for example, “As lightly as it comth, so wol we spende” (The Pardoner’s Tale). “Light come, light go” is also in John Heywood’s 1546 proverb collection. Easy was substituted for lightly and quickly in the nineteenth century.
See also: easy, go
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- a little fire is quickly trodden out
- trodden
- village
- it takes a village
- teach a man to fish
- require
- desperate times require desperate measures
- drastic
- drastic times call for drastic measures
- drastic times require drastic measures