cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face

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cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face (idiom)
/ˈkʌt ɔf jɚ ˈnoʊz tə ˈspaɪt jɚ ˈfeɪs/

Meaning

• An excessive or irrational reaction to a problem that makes the situation worse.
• Engaging in an action meant to hurt another but that ends up causing more harm to oneself.
• Making decisions driven by revenge or bitterness that result in personal loss.
• Choosing a harmful action simply to make a point, even when logic suggests restraint.
• Allowing ego or stubbornness to lead to choices that backfire personally.
• Taking actions that undermine one’s own goals while attempting to harm or oppose someone else.

Example Sentences

1. Don’t let your anger make you cut off your nose to spite your face.
2. She skipped the event just to avoid him, cutting off her nose to spite her face.
3. He quit his job out of spite and hurt only himself, cutting off his nose to spite his face.
4. They rejected help to prove a point, cutting off their nose to spite their face.
5. If you skip the interview just to upset your boss, you’re only cutting off your nose to spite your face.
6. She blocked a useful app over a minor flaw, cutting off her nose to spite her face.
7. He refused treatment out of pride, cutting off his nose to spite his face.

Origin and History

The idiom “cut off your nose to spite your face” is widely believed to have originated in medieval Europe, particularly in the British Isles. During this era, disfigurement, especially of the nose, was a common form of punishment or revenge. Historical accounts suggest that individuals would mutilate their own faces to avoid certain fates or as acts of protest. ​

The Legend of Saint Æbbe and the Nuns of Coldingham

One of the most cited origins of the phrase involves Saint Æbbe the Younger, an abbess in 9th-century Scotland. According to legend, when Viking raiders threatened her convent, Æbbe and her nuns disfigured their faces by cutting off their noses and upper lips to make themselves undesirable to the invaders. While their actions were intended to protect their chastity, the Vikings, enraged by the defiance, burned down the convent, killing all inside. This tale exemplifies a self-destructive act intended to thwart an enemy, aligning closely with the idiom’s meaning.

Early Literary References

The earliest known printed version of the phrase appears in Francis Grose’s Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1796), which includes the expression:

“He cut off his nose to be revenged of his face,” describing someone who harms themselves in an attempt to harm another.

However, similar sentiments are found in earlier literature. John Heywood’s 1562 collection, A Dialogue Conteinyng the Nomber in Effect of All the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue, includes a proverb:

“If there be any, as I hope there be none, That would lose both his eyes to lose his foe one…”

This reflects the idea of self-harm to inflict harm on an adversary.

Over time, the phrase evolved into its current form, emphasizing the futility of self-destructive actions driven by spite. By the mid-19th century, the idiom appeared in its modern wording in publications like The Guardian (London, 1861), solidifying its place in the English lexicon.

Synonyms

1. shoot yourself in the foot
2. self-sabotage
3. bite off your nose to spite your face
4. cut off your lifeline out of anger
5. make a cutting decision against your own interest
6. act against your own best interests
7. let spite backfire
8. let pride lead to ruin

Variants

• bite off your nose to spite your face – A slight wording variation with the same meaning.
• cut off one’s own nose to be revenged on one’s face – Found in 18th–19th century references.
• lose your eyes to blind your enemy – An old proverbial form expressing the same concept.

About the Author

Elena Jones holds a PhD in Education from Harvard University. She has extensive experience teaching at both the K–12 and university levels, with a particular focus on English as a Second Language. Elena has dedicated her career to advancing educational practices, and she has contributed to numerous educational journals.

Emotion, Nose