Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
hoist by your own petard
idiom
/hɔɪst baɪ jʊər oʊn pɪˈtɑrd/
Definition
To be hurt or harmed by one’s own plan or scheme, often one that was intended to hurt someone else.
Examples
- After trying to frame her colleague for a mistake, she ended up in trouble herself and realized she had been hoist by her own petard.
- The politician’s efforts to undermine his opponent backfired, leaving him hoist by his own petard when the truth was revealed.
Meaning
This phrase implies that a person has fallen victim to their own trap or scheme, resulting in a self-inflicted injury or setback.
Synonyms
- caught in your own trap
- bitten by your own snake
- turned against oneself
