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Is there any proverb for "when one starts shaping up after losing many times". For example, I have failed in Maths test many times, but now I am taking it seriously and working hard to pass next time. The essence is that, I reacted after having much loss, rather than taking actions on time (much earlier).

Moreover, the proverb I am looking for is related to a situation when a frog keeps regulating their body temperature in boiling water, but in the end gets cooked.

There's a proverb in Urdu:

‎‏ﺁ ﺑﮯ ﺳﻮﻧﭩﮯ ﺗﯿﺮﯼ ﺑﺎﺭﯼ‘ ﮐﺎﻥ ﭼﮭﻮﮌ ﮐﻨﭙﭩﯽ ﻣﺎﺭﯼ

Translation: to shape up after having much loss, or continuous failure.

In addition, I thought that the following words would define it but not l sure about it as it looks like a quote:

"never leave for tomorrow that which you can do today."

I hope there's a English proverb for which I am asking here.

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  • "Administers" isn't idiomatic (or clear) in the sense that you're using it here. I think you mean something along the lines of "works to improve" or "shapes up"... Commented Nov 8, 2018 at 17:06
  • @Laurel, exactly, I mean 'works to improve'. So can you please suggest a single-worded verb for it? Commented Nov 8, 2018 at 17:08
  • "single-worded verb" or proverb? How do you like the answer below? "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" Commented Nov 8, 2018 at 18:20
  • "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward" - Vernon Sanders Law Commented Nov 8, 2018 at 19:24
  • @Zebrafish, I was requesting single-worded verb substitute to the verb administer which I misused in title and the body of my question. Overall, I am surely requesting a proverb here, nether verb and nor any idiom. Commented Nov 9, 2018 at 2:30

4 Answers 4

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It's not an exact match, but a similar concept is given by the idiom turn over a new leaf.

Idioms by Free Dictionary gives us the meaning: "To change one's behavior, usually in a positive way." And Bloomsbury International provides the origin: "In the 1500s, people called pages in books ‘leaves’. When they turned over a new leaf, they were really turning to a blank page in their book to start writing something new."

Your history of bad scores have motivated you to turn over a new leaf in regards to your study habits. I hope it works out for you- both the idiom and your future studies.

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For your proverb request, consider: Little strokes fell great oaks.. Dictionary.com

Persistent in efforts, one can accomplish great feats.

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The simple axiom 'Enough is enough!'

enough is enough [fixed expression]:

'this must stop':

.

The [expression] "enough is enough" is a [fixed expression] used to declare that a person has reached their limit of tolerance for an unacceptable situation and intends to take action to stop it. This often implies a shift from passive endurance to positive action to force a change [either locally or globally]. [AI Overview]

In summary, "enough is enough" is a commonly used [expression, used] to express the reaching of one's limit, signalling a firm stance against an undesirable situation. [LudwigGuru]

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Not quite a proverb but an idiom - to buckle down is to begin working hard on some task. It suggests a newly undertaken, conscious effort to accomplish something in particular. It might not necessarily imply previous failure, but does suggest a previous lack of effort.

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