give somebody enough rope to hang oneself

تعریف و معنای "give somebody enough rope to hang oneself"

to give somebody enough rope to hang oneself

عبارت

کسی را به شکست سوق دادن, فرصت شکست را برای کسی مهیا کردن

to give someone an opportunity to act freely with the intention of hurting them

to [give] {sb} enough rope to hang {oneself} definition and meaning

Disapproving

Idiom

Informal

What is the origin of the idiom "give someone enough rope to hang oneself" and when to use it?

The idiom "give someone enough rope to hang oneself" originates from the world of criminal justice and execution. In the past, a condemned person was given a length of rope to serve as the means of their execution, typically hanging. The idiom is used to convey the idea that when someone is provided with the freedom to make their own choices and decisions, especially when they are prone to making mistakes or poor judgment, they might eventually end up in a self-destructive situation. It is often used to describe situations where one person allows another to take actions that will lead to their own downfall or failure, often by demonstrating poor judgment or making bad decisions.

Example

True, there was n't always an enormous difference between letting the interviewees speak for themselves and giving them enough rope.

The manager decided to give the new employee enough rope to hang herself by letting her take charge of the project, even though she lacked experience.

When he borrowed a large sum of money from his friend and spent it all on gambling, he was essentially given enough rope to hang himself financially.