like turkeys voting for Christmas

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• Received-Pronunciation: /laɪk ˌtɜːkiz ˈvəʊtɪŋ fə ˈkɹɪsməs/
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• General-American: /laɪk ˌtɝkiz ˈvoʊtɪŋ fɚ ˈkɹɪsməs/
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• General-American: [-ɾɪŋ-]
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• Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• rhymes with -ɪsməs
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Because turkeys are commonly eaten at Christmas, turkeys voting for (an early) Christmas would be hastening their own death. The phrase is thought to have been coined by the British Liberal Party politician David Penhaligon (1944–1986) who used it to express opposition to the 1977 Lib–Lab pact. It was popularized by the British Prime Minister James Callaghan (1912–2005) who used it in the House of Commons in March 1979 when his Labour Party lost a vote of no confidence: see the 1977 and 1979 quotations.

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Finnish: sahata omaa oksaansa — of an action: self-defeating or serving to bring about a situation detrimental to the performer
• French: scier la branche sur laquelle on est assis — of an action: self-defeating or serving to bring about a situation detrimental to the performer
• French: se tirer une balle dans le pied — of an action: self-defeating or serving to bring about a situation detrimental to the performer
• Italian: darsi la zappa sui piedi — of an action: self-defeating or serving to bring about a situation detrimental to the performer
• Korean: 크리스마스에 찬성하는 칠면조떼 (keuriseumaseue chanseonghaneun chilmyeonjotte) — of an action: self-defeating or serving to bring about a situation detrimental to the performer
• Polish: podcinać gałąź, na której się siedzi — of an action: self-defeating or serving to bring about a situation detrimental to the performer
• Spanish: estar cavando su propia sepultura — of an action: self-defeating or serving to bring about a situation detrimental to the performer
• Spanish: estar cavando su sepultura — of an action: self-defeating or serving to bring about a situation detrimental to the performer