the road to hell is paved with good intentions
Meaning: Good intentions are worthless, or even harmful, if they lead to bad actions.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “They meant to help by feeding the ducks bread, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: A related saying is attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (12th century), that hell is full of good wishes. Samuel Johnson is recorded in 1775 as saying "Hell is paved with good intentions." The "road" form is from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: L'enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions — literally: Hell is paved with good intentions
More idioms — Daily Life
- against all odds — Despite great difficulty or opposition.
- cold hard cash — Actual money in coins and bills, not credit or promises.
- cherchez la femme — There is probably a woman behind this situation.
- throw money down the drain — To waste money.
- all fired up — Very excited or enthusiastic.
- the oldest trick in the book — A very familiar trick that should not fool anyone.
More English idioms
- fall into someone's lap — To come to someone without any effort.
- fire in the belly — Strong ambition and drive.
- a slippery slope — A small step that leads to worse and worse consequences.
- snug as a bug in a rug — Very warm and comfortable.
- breathe down someone's neck — To watch someone too closely, or to be close behind them.
- champ at the bit — To be impatient to start.
From our compliments & insults
- Pareces un pulpo en un garaje — You're completely out of place — flailing around uselessly in an environment that makes n…
- Che rompiscatole — What an insufferable pest — someone who endlessly pesters and never lets you be.
- Testa quadrata — A rigid, inflexible blockhead who refuses to see beyond their fixed ideas.