a door must be either shut or open
a door must be either shut or open
proverb One must choose between two options that cannot both be true or both happen at the same time. (Just as a door cannot simultaneously be open and closed.) You're never going to feel rested if you keep staying up so late. A door must be either shut or open—you can't have it both ways. Well, do you love him or not? A door must be either shut or open.
See also: door, either, must, open, shut
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- teach a man to fish
- it takes a village
- village
- change horses in midstream, don't
- all cats are gray after dark/at night
- a cat in gloves catches no mice
- cat in gloves catches no mice
- best-laid plans go astray, the
- the best-laid plans
- the best-laid plans of mice and men