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paint oneself into a corner

To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.

Etymology:

  • From the idea that a person painting the floor of a room may inadvertently apply the paint everywhere except the corner that the person is standing in, so that to leave the room the person has no choice but to step on the freshly painted floor and damage it.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to paint oneself into a corner

make a fool of oneselfplough intoplow intopaint the town redplay into someone's handsmake intoplay with oneselfpaint outmake something of oneselfmelt intomake an exhibition of oneselfpress into servicepaint outpitch into

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    "paint oneself into a corner." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 22 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/paint-oneself-into-a-corner_5991>.

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