# old saw

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/old-saw
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A cliché, saying, or overused expression, especially a proverb or maxim.

## Examples

- That old saw about hard work is still true.
- She uses that old saw to explain why she never buys cheap shoes.
- You should not believe every old saw you hear from your neighbors.
- He dismissed the advice as an old saw that had no place in modern business.
- My grandfather always repeats that old saw about early birds catching worms whenever I sleep past seven in the morning.
- The coach relied on a tired old saw to motivate the team after they lost their third game in a row.
- The politician tried to avoid the difficult question by repeating an old saw about how honesty is always the best policy.
- Although the speaker relied heavily on every old saw in the book, the audience found his sincerity surprisingly moving.

## Origin

From Middle English *olde sawe* or *old sawe*, the term is a compound of *old* and *saw*, the latter being a traditional term for a saying or proverb. While the noun *saw* descends from Old English *sagu*, the specific construction of the *old saw* as a fixed phrase for a well-worn maxim appears in the Middle English period.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.