Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater In english explanation

The meaning, explanation, definition and origin of the idiom/phrase "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater", English Idiom Dictionary ( also found in Vietnamese )

Lym Nguyen

2020-07-31 07:07

Meaning of Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater

Synonyms:

Throw out the champagne with the cork , Empty the baby out with the bath

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater proverb verb

Don't remove the valuable or important thing while getting rid of useless things. The idiom implies you should be careful to avoid losing valuable things while discarding unimportant ones.

Anna quitted her favorite job just because of her discontent with her boss. She should not have thrown out the baby with the bathwater.

Lily: Why do you want to cut down this tree? It is still alive. Alex: Because its leaves are beginning to wilt and it will not be beautiful anymore. Lily: Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. It will be green again and blossom in the spring.

Other phrases about:

get something out of your system

to get rid of a negative emotion or strong desire to do something

get rid of somebody/something

To discard, remove, eliminate, throw something away or become free from something or someone

clean out

1. Make the inside of something clean or tidy

2. Spend so much money on something that one now has very little left

3. Take or use all the resource or money that a person or organization has

4. Remove parts or people to improve a group or organization

cut from (something)

1. To remove something from something else by cutting

2. To refuse to allow someone to do something on a team or other roster

3. To remove a portion of a creative work, such as a written work or a film by editing

throw on the scrap heap

To get rid of someone or something that one does not want

Origin of Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater

This proverb derives from the shortage of water in medieval times. Because of water insufficiency, family members had to share one tub of water. The first person having a shower was the father and the last one was the baby. Therefore, when it was the baby's turn, the water was so dirty, and while the mom was pouring the dirty water out of the tub the baby might be thrown out with the water line by mistake. Therefore, the idiom was appeared to remind that to avoid throwing the baby by mistake, the mom had to check the bathwater carefully before pouring it out of the tub.

The Origin Cited: Internet .