cut off one's nose to spite one's face, to
cut off one's nose to spite one's face
Injure oneself out of pique. For example, Staying home because Meg was invited first is cutting off your nose to spite your face . Similar hyperboles appeared in several Latin proverbs; in English the expression was first recorded in 1561.
See also: cut, face, nose, off, spite
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
cut off (one's) nose to spite (one's) face
To injure oneself in taking revenge against another.
See also: cut, face, nose, off, spite
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
cut off one's nose to spite one's face, to
To act out of pique in a way that injures oneself more than anyone else. The term appears about 1200 as a Latin proverb recorded by Peter of Blois. It was repeated in the mid-seventeenth century by Gedéon Tallemant des Réaux in recounting the history of France: “Henry IV understood very well that to destroy Paris would be, as they say, to cut off his nose to spite his face.”
See also: cut, nose, off, spite
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- wash (one's) hands of (someone or something)
- wash hands of
- wash one's hands of
- wash your hands of
- wash your hands of somebody/something
- wash your hands of something/someone
- for (one's) (own) sake
- for sake
- keep in sight
- keep sight of (someone or something)