IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishshoot oneself in the foot
Meaning: To damage one's own interests through a foolish action.
Example: “By insulting the voters he needed, the candidate shot himself in the foot.”
Origin: Probably from soldiers who wounded themselves, on purpose or by accident, which in the First World War was a way some tried to escape the trenches. The figurative use became common in the late 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Portuguese: dar um tiro no pé Literally: To give a shot in the foot
French: Scier la branche sur laquelle on est assis Literally: To saw the branch one is sitting on
More English idioms
- make a pass at To make a sexual or romantic advance toward someone.
- overstep the mark To go beyond what is acceptable.
- come down on someone like a ton of bricks To criticize or punish someone very severely.
- shoot down in flames To reject or destroy an idea or argument completely.
- rough around the edges Lacking polish or refinement, though basically good.
- smoke the peace pipe To make peace after a quarrel.
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