be hoist by/with (your) own petard

formal

if you are hoist by your own petard, something that you did in order to bring you advantages or to harm someone else is now causing serious problems for you.

The government, who have made such a point of criticizing the opposition's morals now find themselves hoist by their own petard as yet another minister is revealed as having an illicit affair.

• ebb and flow of something
• effing and blinding
• either feast or famine
• either way
• elbow grease
• elbow room
• elders and betters
• elevator music
• eleventh-hour
• empty nest syndrome
• Empty vessels make most noise.
• Empty vessels make most sound.
• Empty vessels make the most noise.
• Empty vessels make the most sound.
• end it all
• end justifies the means.
• end of story
• End of story.
• end of the line
• end of the road
• endowed with
• endowed with something
• end up
• Enough is as good as a feast.
• enough is enough