Timeline for English equivalent for the expression "only iron can cut iron"
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
9 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Jun 16, 2021 at 17:51 | comment | added | Weather Vane | The expression "hoist by his own petard" is about self-inflicted damage, not something you do to someone. And it is 'hoist' not 'hoisted', as the second link in the answer correctly gives, which also says it is applied to "someone who has been scuppered by their own schemes". You can always find examples of mis-use. | |
| Jun 16, 2021 at 4:25 | history | edited | Kirt | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
added usage quote
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| Jun 16, 2021 at 4:22 | comment | added | nick012000 | @Kirt The meaning of the phrase is still to destroy someone as a result of their own actions, though - if you're hoisting someone else with their own petard, then you're deliberately causing this to happen - a related idiom might be "give them enough rope to hang themselves", depending on how you cause this to happen (giving them the ability to mess things up on their own vs deliberately sabotaging their project). | |
| Jun 16, 2021 at 4:13 | history | edited | Kirt | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
added usage quote
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| Jun 16, 2021 at 4:09 | comment | added | Kirt | @nick012000 When done to oneself, it does not match the OP's use, and this is the more common expression. However, it can be used in the sense of employing someone's own tactics against them - I have edited in a quote. | |
| Jun 16, 2021 at 4:08 | history | edited | Kirt | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
added usage quote
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| Jun 16, 2021 at 0:36 | comment | added | nick012000 | Pretty sure that "hoisted by his own petard" is wrong. It means that someone is undone by their own schemes and plans; it's a reference to primitive bombs (petards) that were composed of a barrel full of gunpowder - and the "hoisting" is when one goes off while you're handling it and kills you. | |
| Jun 15, 2021 at 22:26 | comment | added | Tim Sparkles | Given the contours of this question, I'd say that "beat him at his own game" is a marginally better answer than "hoist him with his own petard". | |
| Jun 15, 2021 at 19:26 | history | answered | Kirt | CC BY-SA 4.0 |