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Outcome & Impact - Reverse Effect

Dive into English proverbs that depict reverse effects, like "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "he who digs a pit for others, falls in himself".

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Outcome & Impact
a green winter makes a fat churchyard

used to imply that easy or comfortable times can have unforeseen negative consequences

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Definition & Meaning of \"a green (winter|Yule) makes a fat churchyard\"
best is the enemy of (the) good

used to advise against striving for perfection or the best possible outcome, as it can be a hindrance to achieving a good result and may cause unnecessary stress or effort

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Definition & Meaning of \"(best|perfect) is the enemy of (the|) good\"
harm watch, harm catch

used to suggest that those who intentionally seek to harm others are likely to attract harm to themselves as well

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Definition & Meaning of \"harm watch, harm catch\"
never spur a willing horse

used to advise against pushing someone who is already motivated to work harder, as it may have the opposite effect and cause them to become less willing or do less

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Definition & Meaning of \"(never|do not) spur a willing horse\"
parents who are afraid to put their foot down usually have children who step on their toes

used to imply that parents who are too permissive or fail to establish boundaries are likely to have children who do not respect their authority and may take advantage of them

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Definition & Meaning of \"parents who are afraid to put their foot down usually have children who step on their toes\"
the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last

used to imply that repeated or excessive reliance on a particular action or strategy can eventually lead to its failure or deterioration

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Definition & Meaning of \"the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last\"
pouring oil on the fire is not the way to quench it

used to imply that adding to a problem or conflict will only make it worse, and that it is important to take actions that will help calm and resolve the situation instead of intensifying it

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Definition & Meaning of \"pouring oil on the fire is not the way to quench it\"
too many cooks spoil the broth

used to imply that if too many people are involved in a task or project, it can become disorganized or ineffective

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Definition & Meaning of \"too many cooks spoil the broth\"
too much of anything is good for nothing

used to imply that an excess of something, even if it is initially beneficial, will eventually become harmful or useless

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Definition & Meaning of \"too much of anything is good for nothing\"
two boys are half a boy, and three boys are no boy at all

used to imply that having too many people involved in a task can lead to confusion, inefficiency, and a lack of coordination, ultimately resulting in a decrease in productivity

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Definition & Meaning of \"two boys are half a boy, and three boys are no boy at all\"
the cure is worse than the disease (itself)

used to warn that a proposed solution to a problem may have more negative consequences than the problem itself, emphasizing the importance of careful consideration and evaluation

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Definition & Meaning of \"the cure is worse than the disease (itself|)\"
he who digs a pit for others, falls in himself

used to warn that that those who seek to harm others may ultimately suffer the same fate

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Definition & Meaning of \"he who digs a pit for others, falls in himself\"
too many chiefs, (and) not enough Indians

used to warn that having too many leaders and not enough people to execute tasks can lead to confusion, inefficiency, and a lack of progress

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Definition & Meaning of \"too many chiefs, (and|) not enough Indians\"
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