kill the goose that lays the golden egg

/kˈɪl ðə ɡˈuːs ðat lˈeɪz ðə ɡˈəʊldən ˈɛɡ/

/kˈɪl ðə ɡˈuːs ðæt lˈeɪz ðə ɡˈoʊldən ˈɛɡ/

[sentence]

[SENTENCE]

to destroy something that could bring one a lot of money or great success, particularly because of greed

[kill] the goose that lays the golden egg definition and meaning

What is the origin of the idiom "kill the goose that lays the golden egg" and when to use it?

The idiom "kill the goose that lays the golden egg" has its origins in one of Aesop's fables, where a farmer becomes greedy and kills the goose that lays golden eggs, only to find that there are no more eggs inside. The moral of the story is that greed can lead to one's downfall and that it is important to not destroy a valuable resource in pursuit of short-term gains. The phrase is now used in a more figurative sense to describe situations where someone is undermining or destroying a valuable asset or resource that is providing them with benefits over time. The idiom is often used as a warning to encourage someone to be more careful and to not sacrifice long-term gains for short-term benefits.

Examples

1. By raising prices too high, the company risked killing the goose that lays the golden egg by alienating its customer base and threatening its profits.

2. By pushing his employees too hard, the manager killed the goose that lays the golden egg by causing high turnover and losing his most productive staff.

3. When the mining company overextracted resources from the land, it killed the goose that lays the golden egg by damaging the environment that provided the natural wealth in the first place.

Nearby words

final nail in the coffin

on the rocks

not give up the day job

writing is on the wall

a losing battle

a wall