A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

Etymology:

  • Derived from the idiom "two steps forward, one step back", which originates with an anecdote about a frog in a well.
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We got all the roofing removed but the chimney was damaged and we discovered that some rafters had to be replaced. One step forward, two steps back. Or maybe three.

Submitted on September 01, 2009

Translation

Find a translation for the one step forward, two steps back phrase in other languages:

einen Schritt vorwärts, zwei Schritte zurück

yksi askel eteenpäin, kaksi askelta taaksepäin

céim amháin chun tosaigh, dhá chéim siar

porro unum gradus, duo gradus retro

Um passo para frente, dois passos para trás

ett steg framåt, två steg tillbaka

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    "one step forward, two steps back." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/one-step-forward,-two-steps-back_5847>.

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