Give a thief rope enough and he'll hang himself.
Meaning: A criminal given freedom eventually exposes himself through his own continued wrongdoing.
Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.
More proverbs about Morality
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- When it thunders the thief becomes honest. — Fear of divine punishment temporarily reforms even the most dishonest when facing greater…
- There is a tide in the affairs of man which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. — Seizing opportunities at their peak moment determines success; delay means missing favora…
- Trust not a horse's heel, nor a dog's tooth. — Animals show their danger through their vulnerable parts—beware those who reveal capacity…
- Truth hath a good face, but bad clothes. — Honesty may lack polish or appeal, yet its substance remains sound and worthy of respect.
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