Adage

An adage is a pithy saying that sums up a particular subject or situation. The term "law" is sometimes applied to these, although they are usually less rigorous ideas than legal laws or physical laws.

These may be interesting observations or relationships, practical or ethical guidelines (also called rules of thumb), and even humorous parodies of physical laws.

Adages often originate in popular fiction, or in Internet forums such as Usenet. One literary personage renowned for his use of adages was Sancho Panza in Miguel de Cervantes' novel Don Quixote. Through overuse, an adage may become a cliché.

Famous adages from popular fiction:

• Catch-22
• Clarke's law
• TANSTAAFL

Famous adages from Usenet:

• Ugol's law
• Godwin's law

Other famous adages:

• Murphy's law
• Sturgeon's law
• Law of Infernal Dynamics
• Finagle's law
• Hanlon's razor
• Shaw's principle[?]