C2 a short sentence, etc., usually known by many people, stating something commonly experienced or giving advice諺語,格言
The appetite, says the proverb, grows with eating.俗話說,吃得越多,胃口越大。
[ + that ] There is an old Arab proverb that everything you write or speak should pass through three gates: Is this kind? Is this necessary? Is this true?有句古老的阿拉伯諺語說,你寫的或說的每句話都得經過三道關:這是出於善意的嗎?這是必要的嗎?這是真的嗎?