rotten apple

a rotten apple

A person whose own words or actions negatively impacts an entire group of people. Taken from the proverb "a rotten apple spoils the bunch." Before you accuse the entire department of wrongdoing, you should try to find the rotten apple that initially caused the problem.

See also: apple, rotten

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

rotten apple

a single bad person or thing. There always is a rotten apple to spoil it for the rest of us. Tom sure has turned out to be the rotten apple.

See also: apple, rotten

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

rotten apple

A bad individual among many good ones, especially one that spoils the group. For example, The roommates are having problems with Edith-she's the one rotten apple of the bunch. This expression is a shortening of the proverb a rotten apple spoils the barrel, coming from a 14th-century Latin proverb translated as "The rotten apple injures its neighbors." The allusion in this idiom is to the spread of mold or other diseases from one apple to the rest. In English the first recorded use was in Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack (1736).

See also: apple, rotten

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

rotten apple

n. a single bad person or thing. There always is a rotten apple to spoil it for the rest of us.

See also: apple, rotten

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

See also:

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

References in periodicals archive

Applied ethics can be understood and applied in addressing the rotten core aspects (through social ethics), rotten barrel aspects (through business ethics), and rotten apple aspects (through professional ethics).

An Aristotelian-Thomistic approach to professional ethics

Gerald Bracey offers me and my co-author a belated Rotten Apple award.

Backtalk

I am afraid I believe Tony Blair was the original rotten apple and now the whole barrel has gone putrid.

Labour's barrel of apples has gone bad

If one rotten apple can do that, small wonder that a whole basketful can and still does threaten the entire banking system.

A whole basketful of rotten apples

Unfortunately even in the nursing profession there will be the odd rotten apple.

Editorial Comment Right to strike out evil nurse

It was if there was a rotten apple or garlic smell minutes later.

Survivor testifies in Iraq trial

The proverbial rotten apple could cost you an entire harvest.

Fruitful year for wasps

It is again flattering to win Gerald Bracey's Rotten Apple Award, along with the likes of President Clinton, Vice President Gore, William Bennett, journalists from the New York Times and Washington Post, and such influential scholars as Chester Finn and Diane Ravitch.

Backtalk More Distortions

Prandelli advised Balotelli to listen to Mancini's advice, and added that Berlusconi might have branded the striker as a rotten apple but he has always behaved nicely during national duties.

Italy manager Prandelli tells Balotelli he is no 'super hero'

So long as one rotten apple is left in the barrel .

The game is up for 'rotten apples' VOICE OF THE NORTH

For ripening also read rotting, as many apples I've picked over the years which have been carefully wrapped individually in newspaper and put in a dark cool place eventually turn to a black mass of rotten apple. In the past I have always followed the book which says apples are ready when you lift them up and they come off the branch with a gentle twist.

gardens: dig this

Smith, a father of one, finally recognised he had been a thoroughly rotten apple. He had gone firmly off the rails and did not realise he was out of control.

Friend was robbed

Which is why, instead of castigating Mereseyside Police for the actions of one rotten apple, we should today be praising them for meeting the high moral standards we expect of them.

Voice of the ECHO: Abuse of our trust

The poster asks: "Is there a rotten apple in the barrel?" It comes eight months after the force's Inspector Adam Carruthers was jailed for 12 years for raping two women.

Shop-a-cop poster plea

The Eighth Bracey Report, with all those Rotten Apple Awards, was on my mind.

Talking back

词组	rotten apple
释义	rotten apple a rotten apple A person whose own words or actions negatively impacts an entire group of people. Taken from the proverb "a rotten apple spoils the bunch." Before you accuse the entire department of wrongdoing, you should try to find the rotten apple that initially caused the problem. See also: apple, rotten Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. rotten apple a single bad person or thing. There always is a rotten apple to spoil it for the rest of us. Tom sure has turned out to be the rotten apple. See also: apple, rotten McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. rotten apple A bad individual among many good ones, especially one that spoils the group. For example, The roommates are having problems with Edith-she's the one rotten apple of the bunch. This expression is a shortening of the proverb a rotten apple spoils the barrel, coming from a 14th-century Latin proverb translated as "The rotten apple injures its neighbors." The allusion in this idiom is to the spread of mold or other diseases from one apple to the rest. In English the first recorded use was in Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack (1736). See also: apple, rotten The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. rotten apple n. a single bad person or thing. There always is a rotten apple to spoil it for the rest of us. See also: apple, rotten McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions See also: 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 References in periodicals archive Applied ethics can be understood and applied in addressing the rotten core aspects (through social ethics), rotten barrel aspects (through business ethics), and rotten apple aspects (through professional ethics). An Aristotelian-Thomistic approach to professional ethics Gerald Bracey offers me and my co-author a belated Rotten Apple award. Backtalk I am afraid I believe Tony Blair was the original rotten apple and now the whole barrel has gone putrid. Labour's barrel of apples has gone bad If one rotten apple can do that, small wonder that a whole basketful can and still does threaten the entire banking system. A whole basketful of rotten apples Unfortunately even in the nursing profession there will be the odd rotten apple. Editorial Comment Right to strike out evil nurse It was if there was a rotten apple or garlic smell minutes later. Survivor testifies in Iraq trial The proverbial rotten apple could cost you an entire harvest. Fruitful year for wasps It is again flattering to win Gerald Bracey's Rotten Apple Award, along with the likes of President Clinton, Vice President Gore, William Bennett, journalists from the New York Times and Washington Post, and such influential scholars as Chester Finn and Diane Ravitch. Backtalk More Distortions Prandelli advised Balotelli to listen to Mancini's advice, and added that Berlusconi might have branded the striker as a rotten apple but he has always behaved nicely during national duties. Italy manager Prandelli tells Balotelli he is no 'super hero' So long as one rotten apple is left in the barrel . The game is up for 'rotten apples' VOICE OF THE NORTH For ripening also read rotting, as many apples I've picked over the years which have been carefully wrapped individually in newspaper and put in a dark cool place eventually turn to a black mass of rotten apple. In the past I have always followed the book which says apples are ready when you lift them up and they come off the branch with a gentle twist. gardens: dig this Smith, a father of one, finally recognised he had been a thoroughly rotten apple. He had gone firmly off the rails and did not realise he was out of control. Friend was robbed Which is why, instead of castigating Mereseyside Police for the actions of one rotten apple, we should today be praising them for meeting the high moral standards we expect of them. Voice of the ECHO: Abuse of our trust The poster asks: "Is there a rotten apple in the barrel?" It comes eight months after the force's Inspector Adam Carruthers was jailed for 12 years for raping two women. Shop-a-cop poster plea The Eighth Bracey Report, with all those Rotten Apple Awards, was on my mind. Talking back
随便看	on the sauce on the say-so of (someone) on the scene on the scene, be on the scent on the scent (of something) on the scrap heap on the shady side of on the shelf on the sick list on the side on the sidelines on the side of the angels on the side of the angels, to be on the skids on the slate on the sly on the something side on the spot on the spur of the moment on the square on the squiff on the stand on the stick on the stocks