a bad apple
a bad apple
A person whose own words or actions negatively impacts an entire group of people. Taken from the proverb "a bad apple spoils the bunch." Jeremy is really a bad apple. After five minutes with my usually well-behaved kids, they're all acting out.
See also: apple, bad
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
a bad apple
ora rotten apple
COMMON If someone is a bad apple or a rotten apple, they are very dishonest or unpleasant, and they have a bad influence on the people around them. It's an opportunity for them to make clear that they are not going to tolerate a bad apple in the United States Senate. In any profession, there's always the rotten apple, isn't there. Note: If a rotten apple is stored with good apples, it causes the good ones to rot.
See also: apple, bad
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
a bad/rotten ˈapple
one bad person who has a bad effect on others in a group: In response to the allegations of mass corruption within the team, a former player said today, ‘There may be the odd rotten apple in the pack, but the majority are clean and honest.’See also: apple, bad, rotten
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- a rotten apple spoils the (whole) barrel
- a rotten apple spoils the (whole) bunch
- a rotten apple spoils the (whole) bushel
- bushel
- a bad apple spoils the (whole) barrel
- teach a man to fish
- village
- it takes a village
- a man is judged by the company he keeps
- a man is known by the company he keeps