
stick your oar in
Meaning: to interfere in someone else's affairs; to meddle.
Example: “Nobody asked for his opinion, but he stuck his oar in anyway.”
Origin: Comes from rowing, where the objection is practical rather than merely territorial. In a boat pulled by several oars, every blade has to enter and leave the water in time with the others; an extra oar, or one worked out of rhythm, does not add power but actively fouls the stroke and slows the whole crew. Meddling is therefore not just unwelcome but counterproductive, which is the precise complaint the idiom carries. The older English form makes the sense of habitual interference clearer still — to have an oar in every man's boat, recorded from the 1500s, described someone compelled to involve themselves in everybody's business at once.
Other ways to say this
French: Mettre son grain de sel Literally: To add one's grain of salt
German: Seinen Senf dazugeben Literally: To add one's mustardEnglish: put in one's two cents
More English idioms
- lower your guard to relax defenses; to become vulnerable.
- bring home the bacon to provide income; to succeed in earning money.
- like a fish out of water uncomfortable or awkward in a situation; out of one's element.
- come hell or high water no matter what obstacles arise; with absolute determination.
- bury the hatchet to make peace; to settle a dispute.
- a storm in a teacup excessive fuss over something trivial; tempest in a teapot.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Wisdom begins in wonder Curiosity and a sense of amazement at the world are the foundations of all knowledge.
- He who is everywhere is nowhere Trying to do too many things at once means accomplishing nothing properly.
- Do not go where the path may lead; go where there is no path and leave a trail True innovation and leadership mean forging your own way rather than following the crowd.
Keep exploring