throw the baby out with the bathwater

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throw the baby out with the bathwater

To discard something valuable, often inadvertently, in the process of removing waste.

From a German proverb that dates to 1512. First recorded by Thomas Murner in his satire Narrenbeschwörung. First appeared in English when Thomas Carlyle translated it and used it in an 1849 essay on slavery. In the 20th century, English writers also started to use it. The idea was that if a baby is being bathed, after the bath is complete, the bathwater is thrown out even if the baby is still in the tub. This means that the most important thing “the baby” is almost being thrown away while getting rid of something useless “bathwater”.

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They cancelled the entire project because the new management didn't like the prototype, but I think they threw the baby out with the bathwater.

Collection Edit

Submitted on September 01, 2009

Modified by TriplePurple on December 11, 2023

buttare il bambino fuori con l'acqua del bagno

把婴儿和洗澡水一起扔出去

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"throw the baby out with the bathwater." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 17 Apr. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/throw-the-baby-out-with-the-bathwater_7510>.

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