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    where does the phrase "better the devil you know, than the devil you dont "come from?

    i know what the meaning is, but where does it come from?

    0  Views: 1231 Answers: 1 Posted: 12 years ago

    1 Answer

    This is the shortened form of the full idiom, 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't', and means that it is often better to deal with someone or something you are familiar with and know, even if they are not ideal, than take a risk with an unknown person or thing


    It is of Irish origin.

    Deleted User

    which is a quote by the Elizabethan
    English author, Richard Taverner. It's a proverb of Irish origin and
    it first appeared a collection of sayings Taverner published in 1539.

    skinny steve

    thank you wonderdyke.It is a phrase i often hear but was curious as to its origins, i thought it might have been a corruption of a phrase from the bible(?). I shall now go and find about Richard Taverner.
    Deleted User

    Steve if you google its origin it comes up with the info you are looking for , you are more than welcome :)


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