one thing leads to another

one thing leads to another

One action has triggered others, especially those that are unplanned or unforeseen. You know how it is—you go to touch up the paint in one room of the house, then one thing leads to another, and you end up repainting the entire first floor. We were just going to meet for quick coffee, but one thing led to another and we spent the whole night chatting about our most personal issues.
See also: another, lead, one, thing
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

One thing leads to another.

One event sets things up for another event, and so on. (As an explanation of how little things lead to big problems.) I kept spending more and more money until I was broke. You know how one thing leads to another. He bought a car, then a house, then a boat. One thing leads to another.
See also: another, lead, one, thing
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

one thing leads to another

COMMON You say one thing leads to another when you are describing something that happens, to say that one event or activity causes another. I never thought I'd be a president, but after they closed down the university where I was a professor, I became a kind of spokesman. One thing led to another and so here I am today.
See also: another, lead, one, thing
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

ˌone thing leads to aˈnother

(informal) used to suggest that the way one event or action leads to others is so obvious that it does not need to be stated: He offered me a ride home one night, and, well, one thing led to another and now we’re engaged!
See also: another, lead, one, thing
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • 1FTR
  • drive (one) out of office
  • force (one) out of office
  • force out of office
  • give (one) (one's) head
  • give head
  • give somebody their head
  • give someone their head
  • cooking for one
  • as one door closes, another (one) opens
References in classic literature
Straight from his fortress he answered: "I seem rather unaccommodating, but I have some experience of life, and know how one thing leads to another. I am afraid that your sister had better sleep at the hotel.
Howards End
He returns home suddenly and she covers by going for a drink with him, and then one thing leads to another...
HOME TRUTHS
YPT suggests an appropriate age or grade range for each show: The Code, for example, is recommended for "Grades 8-12 I Ages 13 & up"; The 26 Letter Dance is appropriate for "JK-Grade 5 I Ages 4-8"; and One Thing Leads to Another is "for ages 3-12 months." Months.
Ostriches in the coal mine A dramaturgy for babies and the 1 per cent
One thing leads to another, and, eventually, she has more ideas than she has time to carry them out.
Group show by various artists on Urban lifestyle concludes
The pair start opening up to each other and one thing leads to another. When someone else turns up out of the blue, everyone in the house is horrified.
SOAP WATCH; Your guide to all the drama in the Square, on the cobbles and in the Dales
The pair start opening up to each other and one thing leads to another. When someone else turns up out of the blue, Sharon invites Keanu for lunch everyone in the house is horrified.
SOAP watch; Your guide to all the drama in the Square, on the cobbles and in the Dales
They end up falling on the couch, and one thing leads to another."
Emmerdale's David and Tracy Metcalfe []; TALK TV
One thing leads to another and soon he is trying foods that he'd never have dreamed of trying before.
Melling, David: Hugless Douglas and the Great Cake Bake
When Dev returns from a back wax he suggests numbing his pain by raiding the mini bar, and one thing leads to another...
What didwe do!?
Hapless slacker Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) meets journalist Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) in a night club and one thing leads to another. Fast-forward eight weeks ...
tv films
One thing leads to another and she is photographed with Manhattan fashionistas at a gala event, and as a new persona, Liz becomes the toast of the town, blogging about fashion and making appearances in vintage couture, thanks to a secretive grandmother who happens to own a closet full of classic collector clothing that her designer friend updates with a modern flare.
Kriegman, Mitchell. Being Audrey Hepburn
One thing leads to another and they wind up kissing.
While Steve fears he's going [...]
Of course, this being Emmerdale, one thing leads to another and Rhona tipsily plants a platonic kiss on Paddy's lips as she leaves.
Tuesday's TV
Indeed, one thing leads to another. Tipton recently lit a program for San Francisco Ballet that included a piece by Christopher Wheeldon.
Lighting the way
We approach it with an empty slate, and as it develops things get exciting, you hear other things, one thing leads to another, and it's really a fun way to build music as opposed to the old traditional linear style." Meaning you guys are not a rock band, but rather an electronica outfit?
Asphalt Jungle