one man's meat is another man's poison

one man's meat is another man's poison

proverb What one person may consider good, enjoyable, or beneficial may be disliked by someone else. A: "I really don't understand the appeal of the Harry Potter series. There are so many better books out there!" B: "Eh, one man's meat is another man's poison."
See also: another, meat, one, poison
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

One man's meat is another man's poison.

Prov. Something that one person likes may be distasteful to someone else. Fred: What do you mean you don't like French fries? They're the best food in the world! Alan: One man's meat is another man's poison. Jill: I don't understand why Don doesn't like to read science fiction. It's the most interesting thing to read. Jane: One man's meat is another man's poison.
See also: another, meat, one, poison
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

one man's meat is another man's poison

What is good for or enjoyed by one is not necessarily so for someone else. This adage, first recorded in 1576, is so well known it is often shortened, as in Pat loves to travel to remote areas but that's not for Doris-one man's meat, you know. Also see no accounting for tastes.
See also: another, meat, one, poison
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

one man's meat is another man's poison

If you say one man's meat is another man's poison, you mean that different people like different things. Talk about one man's meat is another man's poison, did you like that hideous painting in the kitchen? Note: The Roman author Lucretius said in `De Rerum Natura': `What is food to one person may be bitter poison to others.'
See also: another, meat, one, poison
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

one man’s ˌmeat is another man’s ˈpoison

(saying) used to say that different people like different things; what one person likes very much, another person does not like at all: I’m amazed that Tim enjoys cricket so much. Still, one man’s meat is another man’s poison, as they say.
See also: another, meat, one, poison
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

one man's meat is another man's poison

You may not like something that I like. The phrase, which was first written by the Roman poet Lucretius, was appropriated to refer to any situation where two people disagree over something. The 20th-century literary wit George S. Kauffman's most celebrated pun was “One man's Mede is another man's Persian.”
See also: another, meat, one, poison
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • may as well
  • may/might as well
  • come what may
  • take up (the) cudgels against (someone or something)
  • take up the cudgels
  • sell in May
  • sell in May and go away
  • sell in May and stay away
  • don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs
  • so mote it be
References in classic literature
Well, to be sure, what's one man's meat is another man's poison, and the same is altogether as true of women."--"Honour," says Sophia, "rather than submit to be the wife of that contemptible wretch, I would plunge a dagger into my heart."--"O lud!
The History of Tom Jones a Foundling
They say one man's meat is another man's poison. While some Kenyans are celebrating the handshake for returning peace and unity in Kenya, there are a few who are bitter the truce has abruptly ended their income taps.
Corridors of Power
Where aesthetics is concerned I am reminded of the old adage that "one man's meat is another man's poison".
Art is in eye of the beholder
As they say, one man's meat is another man's poison pen letter...
Another man's poison; David Bratt steps up his evil campaign of revenge against his bewildered brother Nick We love SOAPS
I have never listened to as much utter garbage in all my life, although I do believe that one man's meat is another man's poison.
Letter: What is going on at Radio Newcastle? VOICE OF THE NORTH
SIR - The letter from Mr Price of Cwmparc recalled the old adage, 'One man's meat is another man's poison!'
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