What does it mean when someone says call the kettle black?

What does it mean when someone says call the kettle black?

This saying, which personifies kitchenware in order to make a point about hypocrisy, means “to criticize someone for a fault you also possess.” Per WiseGeek, the phrase dates back to the early 1600s, when most pots and kettles were fashioned from cast iron, a material that acquires streaks of black smoke when heated …

What does nice to meet you kettle mean?

informal Used to highlight a situation in which a person accuses someone of or criticizes someone for something of which they themselves are guilty. An allusion to the idiom “the pot calling the kettle black,” which means the same.

What is meant by Look before you leap?

look before you leap. Think of the consequences before you act, as in You’d better check out all the costs before you buy a cellular phone—look before you leap. This expression alludes to Aesop’s fable about the fox who is unable to climb out of a well and persuades a goat to jump in.

What are some common idioms?

The most common English idioms

Idiom Meaning
We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it Let’s not talk about that problem right now
Wrap your head around something Understand something complicated
You can say that again That’s true, I agree
Your guess is as good as mine I have no idea

What does Hello kettle mean?

informal Used to highlight a situation in which a person accuses someone of or criticizes someone for something of which they themselves are guilty.

What is the meaning of once bitten twice shy?

Definition of once bitten, twice shy —used to mean that a person who has failed or been hurt when trying to do something is careful or fearful about doing it again.

What does the idiom When Pigs Fly mean?

Definition of when pigs fly —used to say that one thinks that something will never happen The train station will be renovated when pigs fly.

What are the 10 phrases?

10 Phrases You Should Start Saying More Often at Work

  • “That was my fault.”
  • “I can’t tell you how much [something performance-related] meant to all of us.”
  • “I loved the way you handled that.”
  • “Can I get your advice on this?”
  • “I’m happy to see you!”
  • “I trust your judgment.”
  • “What was the highlight of your day (or week)?”

Do your best idiom?

Meaning of Idiom ‘Do Your (or one’s) Best’ To do one’s best means to try one’s best to do something; to do as well as one possibly can.

What does it mean to have one up on someone?

: to get an advantage over (someone) one up. adjective. English Language Learners Definition of one up (Entry 2 of 2) : having an advantage over someone : in a position that is better than someone else’s position.

What does Foot in Mouth mean?

Say something foolish, embarrassing, or tactless. For example, Jane put her foot in her mouth when she called him by her first husband’s name. This notion is sometimes put as having foot-in-mouth disease, as in He has a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease, always making some tactless remark.

What does it mean to have an AXE to grind?

phrase. If someone has an axe to grind, they are doing something for selfish reasons. [informal, disapproval] He seems like a decent bloke and I’ve got no axe to grind with him. [ + with]