A person's past wrongdoings will return to negatively affect them.

Etymology:

  • 19th century. First attested as lies, like chickens, come home to roost, although the slightly later curses, like chickens, come home to roost was more common. Both are often said to be Spanish or Turkish in origin. The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs notes that Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in The Parson's Tale: “And ofte tyme swich cursynge wrongfully retorneth agayn to hym that curseth, as a bryd that retorneth agayn to his owene nest.”
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Never were truer words than the Spanish proverb, ‘All lies, like chickens, come home to roost.’

Submitted on July 10, 2018

Translation

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τα κοτόπουλα έρχονται σπίτι για να ψηθούν

las gallinas vuelven a casa a posarse

les poulets rentrent à la maison pour se percher

मुर्गियां घर में रोस्ट करने के लिए आती हैं

a csirkék hazaérnek, hogy felszálljanak

ಕೋಳಿಗಳು ಮನೆಗೆ ಬರುತ್ತವೆ

venit domum ad cubitum gallinis

కోళ్లు ఇంటికి వస్తాయి

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    "the chickens come home to roost." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/the-chickens-come-home-to-roost_26681>.

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