Pay him in his own coin.
Meaning: Treat others as they have treated you, using their own methods and tactics against them.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- He who hath most peas may put most in the pot. — Abundance enables greater contribution; those with more resources can give more generousl…
- A small pack suits a small pedlar. — Limited resources naturally fit those with modest circumstances or ambitions.
- Let every pedlar carry his own pack. — Everyone should bear responsibility for their own burdens rather than expecting others to…
- Pen and ink are a wit's plough. — Writing tools transform intellectual potential into tangible ideas, making thought produc…
- That penny is well spent that saves a groat. — Small prudent expenses preventing larger losses represent wise financial stewardship.
- The topmost branch is not the safest perch. — Highest positions attract the most danger and instability, making humble placement more s…
From our idioms
- beat about the bush — To speak or write evasively; to talk around an issue.
- beat the bushes — To search exhaustively.
- between the devil and the deep blue sea — Facing two difficult outcomes for the same situation.