verb
Meaning 1
To damage one's environment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
foul one's own nest
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
verb
Meaning 2
To hurt one's own interests, especially to damage the reputation of one's self, family or group.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shoot oneself in the foot
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From the proverb it's an ill bird that fouls its own nest.
Across languages
Translations
6 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Czech: kálet si do vlastního hnízda — to hurt one's own interests, especially to damage the reputation of one's self
- Danish: besudle sin egen rede — to hurt one's own interests, especially to damage the reputation of one's self
- Norwegian Bokmål: skite i eget reir — to hurt one's own interests, especially to damage the reputation of one's self
- Norwegian Nynorsk: skite i eige reir — to hurt one's own interests, especially to damage the reputation of one's self
- Spanish: tirar piedras contra el propio tejado — to hurt one's own interests, especially to damage the reputation of one's self
- Swedish: kacka i eget bo — to hurt one's own interests, especially to damage the reputation of one's self