A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
This phrase means that it is better to keep something you already have than to risk losing it by trying to get more. It encourages people to value certainty over possible gain. The saying comes from hunting, where holding one bird is safer than chasing two that may escape.
She kept her steady job, remembering that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Bark up the wrong tree
To bark up the wrong tree means to make a wrong guess or to blame the wrong person. The phrase comes from hunting dogs that bark at the base of the wrong tree, thinking the bird they are hunting is in this tree when it is in another one. It is used to explain a misunderstanding or mistaken belief.
If you think I broke it, you are barking up the wrong tree.
Burn the midnight oil
The phrase burn the midnight oil means to work late into the night. It comes from a time when oil lamps were used for light. People use this idiom to describe studying or working long hours to finish something important.
She burned the midnight oil to finish the report.
Cut corners
To cut corners means to do something in a careless or cheap way in order to save time or money. This often leads to poor results. The phrase is usually used as a warning about taking shortcuts. It originates from people who cut a path across the corner of a field instead of walking around the outside edge.
The company cut corners and the product broke quickly.
Don't cry over spilled milk
The saying don't cry over spilled milk means don't get upset about something that has already happened and cannot be changed. It reminds people that worrying about the past does not help. The phrase encourages acceptance and moving forward.
There is no use crying over spilled milk.