Definition of: "dig one’s own grave" with explanation and origin
Definition of: dig one’s own grave with explanation and origin? Meaning of dig one’s own grave with examples in English idiom dictionary.
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Definition of: "dig one’s own grave" with explanation and origin
dig one’s own grave
dig one’s own grave
Meaning
- to do something that has negative consequences for you, even though these consequences can be easily seen.
- do something stupid that will seriously harm oneself, cause one’s own ruin or downfall.
Examples in Sentences
- She dug her own grave when she started talking behind her boss’s back.
- I don’t feel sorry for him getting arrested. He dug his own grave when he stole the money.
- If she continues to behave like this towards her senior officer, she’ll be digging her own grave.
- Getting too close to local hooligans means you’re digging your own grave.
Origin
It is likely that the origin of “dig one’s own grave” came from the Bible proverb ‘Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein‘. The phrasing has developed over the years, but the original proverb still refers to facing the consequences of your own actions.
The original phrase also urges caution when you are setting someone else up for a fall. It may not take long for you to experience the same outcomes that you wish on someone else. Today, this is not something that is generally thought about when the phrase “digging one’s own grave” is used.
As with many phrases that have originally come from the Bible, this idiom has been used for as long as people can remember. Therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time period where the phrase “dig one’s own grave” began to be used.
The Origins of dig one’s own grave
Death, StupidEnglish
Related Dictionary
- English Definition & Meaning Dictionary
- English Idioms and phrases Dictionary
- Dictionnaire Français
- Dictionnaire d'expressions idiomatiques et de phrases en français
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English Idioms and phrases
An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below). By another definition, an idiom is a speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements.[3] For example, an English speaker would understand the phrase "kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. Furthermore, they would understand when each meaning is being used in context.
To evoke the desired effect in the listener, idioms require a precise replication of the phrase: not even articles can be used interchangeably (e.g. "kick a bucket" only retains the literal meaning of the phrase but not the idiomatic meaning).
Idioms should not be confused with other figures of speech such as metaphors, which evoke an image by use of implicit comparisons (e.g., "the man of steel"); similes, which evoke an image by use of explicit comparisons (e.g., "faster than a speeding bullet"); or hyperbole, which exaggerates an image beyond truthfulness (e.g., "more powerful than a locomotive"). Idioms are also not to be confused with proverbs, which are simple sayings that express a truth based on common sense or practical experience.
