7/31/2019 Cutting Off the Nose to Spite the Face

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Cutting off the nose to spite the face

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Cutting off the nose to spite the face" is an expression used to describe a needlessly self-destructive over-

reaction to a problem: "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face" is a warning against acting out of pique, or

against pursuing revenge in a way that would damage oneself more than the object of one's anger.[1]

Contents

[hide]

1 Origins

2 Historical examples

3 See also

4 References

[edit]Origins

The phrase is known to have been used in the 12th century. It may be associated with the numerous legends of

pious women disfiguring themselves in order to protect theirvirginity. These cases include Saint Eusebia, Saint

Ebba, Saint Oda ofHainault and Saint Margaret of Hungary.[2]

The most famous[citation needed] of these cases was that ofbbe the Younger, the Mother Superior of the

monastery ofColdingham. In 867 AD, Viking pirates from Zealand andUppsala landed in Scotland. When news

of the raid reached Saint Ebba, she gathered her nuns together and urged them to disfigure themselves, so that

they might be unappealing to the Vikings. In this way, they hoped to protect their chastity. She demonstrated

this by cutting off her nose and upper lip, and the nuns proceeded to do the same. The Viking raiders were so

disgusted that they burned the entire building to the ground.[3]

The expression has since become a blanket term for (often unwise) self-destructive actions motivated purely by

anger or desire for revenge. For example, if a man was angered by his wife, he might burn down their house to

punish her; however, burning down herhouse would also mean burning down his, along with all their

combustible personal possessions.

In the 1796 edition of Grose's Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, "He cut off his nose to be revenged of

his face." is defined as "one who, to be revenged on his neighbour, has materially injured himself." The word

"spite" is used in the sense of revenge and "face" is used in the sense of honor.

[edit]Historical examples

The Embargo Act of 1807, passed by the United States Congress in protestagainst British and French interference in U.S. shipping. The Act had the side-effect of prohibiting nearly

all U.S. exports and most imports, greatly disrupting the U.S. economy.

[edit]See also

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-destructive_behaviourhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revengehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_facehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#Originshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#Historical_exampleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aebbe_the_Youngerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aebbe_the_Youngerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainaulthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Margaret_of_Hungaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86bbe_the_Youngerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Superiorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldinghamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zealandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uppsalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chastityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_nosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_liphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blanket_termhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embargo_Act_of_1807http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embargo_Act_of_1807http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blanket_termhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_liphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_nosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chastityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uppsalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zealandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldinghamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Superiorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86bbe_the_Youngerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Margaret_of_Hungaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainaulthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aebbe_the_Youngerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aebbe_the_Youngerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#Historical_exampleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#Originshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_facehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revengehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-destructive_behaviour

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Appeal to spite Inequity aversion Pyrrhic victory Self-harm Spite (sentiment) Protofeminism The Virgin Martyr[edit]References

1. ^The Phrase Finderdefinition2. ^Jane Tibbetts Schulenburg, "At What Cost Virginity? Sanctity and the Heroics of

Virginity",Forgetful of their sex: female sanctity and society, ca. 500-1100

3. ^ "St. Aebbe the Younger".Categories:

Proverbs English idioms Idioms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_spitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inequity_aversionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spite_(sentiment)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protofeminismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Virgin_Martyrhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face&action=edit&section=4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_ref-0http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/106875.htmlhttp://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/106875.htmlhttp://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/106875.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_ref-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_ref-1http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FPMbROGUJkAC&pg=PA132http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FPMbROGUJkAC&pg=PA132http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_ref-2http://www.britannia.com/bios/saints/aebbeyounger.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Categorieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Proverbshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:English_idiomshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Idiomshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Idiomshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:English_idiomshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Proverbshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Categorieshttp://www.britannia.com/bios/saints/aebbeyounger.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_ref-2http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FPMbROGUJkAC&pg=PA132http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FPMbROGUJkAC&pg=PA132http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_ref-1http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/106875.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face#cite_ref-0http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face&action=edit&section=4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Virgin_Martyrhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protofeminismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spite_(sentiment)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inequity_aversionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_spite