I stumbled upon these and am having some fun with them.
If you think you’ve got the brains and the knowledge of the English language, try these!

Some of them made me feel quite frustrated, but with a dictionary I was able to do them all! (Well actually still missing 2 of these… Can’t figure em out.)

Let the brain busting begin! Can you do them all or can you only figure out a few? Post your answers and ill tell you if you are correct!

If this takes off I have quite a bit more of em! (You are not dumb if you can not do these, I had an English professor stumbled with a few of these!)

Now these are all common sayings in the English language.

First, an example.

Scintillate, Scintillate, asteroid minutia = Twinkle, twinkle little star.

Members of an avian species of identical plumage congregate = Birds of a feather stick together.

The stylus is mightier than then claymore = Pen is mightier than the sword.


Ok here they come.


Surveillance should precede salvation

Pulchritude possesses solely coetaneous profundity

Freedom from encrustations of grime is contagious to rectitude

It is Fruitless to become lachrymose over perceptibly departed lacteal fluid

It is fruitless to attempt to indoctrinate a superannuated canine with innovative maneuvers

All articles that coruscate with resplendence are not truly auriferous.

Eschew the implement of correction and vitiate the scion

The temperature of the aqueous content of an unremittingly ogled saucepan does not reach 100 Centigrade

Opting on the part of mendicants must be interdicted

Where there are visible vapors having their provenance in ignited carbonaceous materials there is conflagration

A plethora of individuals with expertise in culinary techniques vitiates the potable concoction produced by steeping certain combustibles.

Eleemosynary deeds have their incipience intramurally

Individuals who make their abodes in vitreous edifices would be advised to refrain from catapulting petrous projectiles

Neophyte’s serendipity

Male cadavers are incapable of yielding and testimony

Exclusive dedication to necessitous chores without interlude of hedonistic diversion renders John a hebetudinous Fellow.

A revolving lithic conglomerate accumulates no congeries of minute, verdant bryophitic vegetation

The person representing the ultimate cachinnation possesses thereby the optimal cachinnation

Missiles of a ligneous or petrous consistency have the potential of fracturing my osseous structure, but appellations will eternally remain innocuous

Abstention from elevatory undertakings precludes a potential escalation of a lucrative nature

Eschew obfuscated phraseology: employ perspicuous verbiage

Veracity ascertains emancipation

A pulchritudinous entity pleasures eternally

Mandate establishing orb and bicuspid exchange

Don’t inquire and you won’t be treated to deceit

Four farthing coins for confessing fancies

New York is New York and California is California, but an encounter between them cannot ever exist

A singular measure if 28.3 grams used to anticipate, interrupt, and forestall an impending event has a value equivalent to sixteen times that amount applied later as a restorative remedy.

It is common for mankind to be amiss in the commission of an omission, but permission for remission is the mission of providence

Fair damsel’s drudgery both drag on forever

In scant cognition there’s a precarious condition

Propinquity avails itself only in the coverlets of equine quadru-bases

Surveillance should precede salvation
Look before you leap? I just can't figure out leap and salvation...
Pulchritude possesses solely coetaneous profundity

Freedom from encrustations of grime is contagious to rectitude

It is Fruitless to become lachrymose over perceptibly departed lacteal fluid
No use crying over spilt milk
It is fruitless to attempt to indoctrinate a superannuated canine with innovative maneuvers
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
All articles that coruscate with resplendence are not truly auriferous.
All that glitters is not gold
Eschew the implement of correction and vitiate the scion
Damn... I can feel this one hiding from me in the back of my mind.
The temperature of the aqueous content of an unremittingly ogled saucepan does not reach 100 Centigrade
A watched pot never boils.
Opting on the part of mendicants must be interdicted
Something about beggars...
Where there are visible vapors having their provenance in ignited carbonaceous materials there is conflagration
Where there's smoke, there's fire
A plethora of individuals with expertise in culinary techniques vitiates the potable concoction produced by steeping certain combustibles.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Eleemosynary deeds have their incipience intramurally

Individuals who make their abodes in vitreous edifices would be advised to refrain from catapulting petrous projectiles
Those who live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones.
Neophyte’s serendipity
Fool's errand? Only thing I can think of...
Male cadavers are incapable of yielding and testimony
Dead men tell no tales.
Exclusive dedication to necessitous chores without interlude of hedonistic diversion renders John a hebetudinous Fellow.
All work and no play, makes John a dull boy. (It was the name that gave me this one)
A revolving lithic conglomerate accumulates no congeries of minute, verdant bryophitic vegetation
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
The person representing the ultimate cachinnation possesses thereby the optimal cachinnation

Missiles of a ligneous or petrous consistency have the potential of fracturing my osseous structure, but appellations will eternally remain innocuous
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
Abstention from elevatory undertakings precludes a potential escalation of a lucrative nature

Eschew obfuscated phraseology: employ perspicuous verbiage
Something along the lines of "Don't beat around the bush?"
Veracity ascertains emancipation

A pulchritudinous entity pleasures eternally

Mandate establishing orb and bicuspid exchange

Don’t inquire and you won’t be treated to deceit
Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.
Four farthing coins for confessing fancies
A penny for your thoughts.
New York is New York and California is California, but an encounter between them cannot ever exist

A singular measure if 28.3 grams used to anticipate, interrupt, and forestall an impending event has a value equivalent to sixteen times that amount applied later as a restorative remedy.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
It is common for mankind to be amiss in the commission of an omission, but permission for remission is the mission of providence

Fair damsel’s drudgery both drag on forever

In scant cognition there’s a precarious condition

Propinquity avails itself only in the coverlets of equine quadru-bases
Something about horse's blankets... but I can't remember the phrase.

Here's one i know of:

A slight inclination of the cranium is the same as a spasmodic movement of an optic to an equine quadraped with no visionary capacity.


And any of the ones missed that I think I've figure out:

Eschew the implement of correction and vitiate the scion = spare the rod spoil the child

Opting on the part of mendicants must be interdicted = beggars can't be chosers

New York is New York and California is California, but an encounter between them cannot ever exist = East is East and West is West, but they shall never meet.

Abstention from elevatory undertakings precludes a potential escalation of a lucrative nature = you have to speculate to accumulate?

It is common for mankind to be amiss in the commission of an omission, but permission for remission is the mission of providence = people often forget to do nothing, but being allowed to go back is point of foresight (there must be a proper phrase for this!!!)

In scant cognition there’s a precarious condition = a little knowledge is dangerous

Fair damsel’s drudgery both drag on forever = A woman's work is never done

(I didn't use a dictionary)

[ 06-15-2005, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: Aragorn1 ]

It is Fruitless to become lachrymose over perceptibly departed lacteal fluid - No point crying over spilt milk


It is fruitless to attempt to indoctrinate a superannuated canine with innovative maneuvers - Can't teach and old dog new tricks

A plethora of individuals with expertise in culinary techniques vitiates the potable concoction produced by steeping certain combustibles. - Too many cook's spoilt the broth


Individuals who make their abodes in vitreous edifices would be advised to refrain from catapulting petrous projectiles - People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

Male cadavers are incapable of yielding and testimony - A dead man tell's no tales.


A revolving lithic conglomerate accumulates no congeries of minute, verdant bryophitic vegetation - A rolling stone gathers no moss

Don’t inquire and you won’t be treated to deceit - Don't ask, don't tell (or something simmilar)

A singular measure if 28.3 grams used to anticipate, interrupt, and forestall an impending event has a value equivalent to sixteen times that amount applied later as a restorative remedy. - A ounce(sp?) of prevention is worth a pound of cure


I know, can't spell. I'm pretty sure on a few, the others I'm not too sure.

Callum took the good ones... Are there any left after this?

Freedom from encrustations of grime is contagious to rectitude
Cleanliness is next to godliness.

Mandate establishing orb and bicuspid exchange
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Neophyte’s serendipity
Beginner's luck.

Wow good job guys! How were these? Did you find any to be challenging or did you breeze through em?

Yeah I have more if people like them!

Heh... bring 'em on! But wait till tomorrow. GIve people a chance to answer these ones. :D

(Plus I'll find the positions reversed... noone will have left anything for me to do [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

Did anyone get "Beauty is only skin deep?"

I LOVE these! We used to do this in my Gifted English class back in High School. :D There were only 11 of us in the class, so the teacher thought this would give us something to do in our "down" times...trying to "stump" each other. ;)


Surveillance should precede salvation - Look before you leap ( ? )

Pulchritude possesses solely coetaneous profundity - Beauty is only skin deep

Freedom from encrustations of grime is contagious to rectitude -

It is Fruitless to become lachrymose over perceptibly departed lacteal fluid - There's no use crying over spilled milk

It is fruitless to attempt to indoctrinate a superannuated canine with innovative maneuvers - You can't teach an old dog new tricks

All articles that coruscate with resplendence are not truly auriferous. - All that glitters is not gold

Eschew the implement of correction and vitiate the scion - Spare the rod and spoil the child

The temperature of the aqueous content of an unremittingly ogled saucepan does not reach 100 Centigrade - A watched pot never boils

Opting on the part of mendicants must be interdicted -

Where there are visible vapors having their provenance in ignited carbonaceous materials there is conflagration - Where there's smoke, there's fire.

A plethora of individuals with expertise in culinary techniques vitiates the potable concoction produced by steeping certain combustibles. - Too many cooks spoil the pot

Eleemosynary deeds have their incipience intramurally -

Individuals who make their abodes in vitreous edifices would be advised to refrain from catapulting petrous projectiles - Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones

Neophyte’s serendipity - Beginner's luck

Male cadavers are incapable of yielding and testimony - Dead men tell no tales

Exclusive dedication to necessitous chores without interlude of hedonistic diversion renders John a hebetudinous Fellow. - All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy

A revolving lithic conglomerate accumulates no congeries of minute, verdant bryophitic vegetation - A rolling stone gathers no moss

The person representing the ultimate cachinnation possesses thereby the optimal cachinnation - He who laughs last, laughs best ( ? )

Missiles of a ligneous or petrous consistency have the potential of fracturing my osseous structure, but appellations will eternally remain innocuous - Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me

Abstention from elevatory undertakings precludes a potential escalation of a lucrative nature -

Eschew obfuscated phraseology: employ perspicuous verbiage -

Veracity ascertains emancipation -

A pulchritudinous entity pleasures eternally -

Mandate establishing orb and bicuspid exchange -

Don’t inquire and you won’t be treated to deceit - Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies

Four farthing coins for confessing fancies - A penny for your thoughts

New York is New York and California is California, but an encounter between them cannot ever exist -

A singular measure if 28.3 grams used to anticipate, interrupt, and forestall an impending event has a value equivalent to sixteen times that amount applied later as a restorative remedy. - An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

It is common for mankind to be amiss in the commission of an omission, but permission for remission is the mission of providence - To err is human, to forgive - divine

Fair damsel’s drudgery both drag on forever -

In scant cognition there’s a precarious condition -

Propinquity avails itself only in the coverlets of equine quadru-bases -

Okay...that's my attempt without looking up any words, taking forever to think about it or reading anyone else's answers first. [img]smile.gif[/img]

That was fun! :D

[ 06-15-2005, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Lady Sedai ]

Now to look up some words and try again on the ones I didn't get the first go-round... ;)

Freedom from encrustations of grime is contagious to rectitude - Cleanliness is next to godliness

Opting on the part of mendicants must be interdicted - hmmm...still not getting this one. Closest direct "translation" would come out like: Siding with beggars must be stopped. LOL

Eleemosynary deeds have their incipience intramurally - Charity begins at home

Abstention from elevatory undertakings precludes a potential escalation of a lucrative nature - Closest I can think for this would be along the lines of: opportunity only knocks once...or something [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Eschew obfuscated phraseology: employ perspicuous verbiage - nope, still can't get this one, LOL

Veracity ascertains emancipation - The truth shall set you free

A pulchritudinous entity pleasures eternally - nope [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Mandate establishing orb and bicuspid exchange - An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth ( ? )

New York is New York and California is California, but an encounter between them cannot ever exist - East is East and West is West, but the twain shall never meet ( ? )

Fair damsel’s drudgery both drag on forever - A woman's work is never done ( ? )

In scant cognition there’s a precarious condition - A little knowledge is dangerous

Propinquity avails itself only in the coverlets of equine quadru-bases - all I can make of this is kinship and horseblankets...?? LOL