if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Spending time with undesirable individuals will cause one to acquire their undesirable traits.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas” mean?
Spending time with undesirable individuals will cause one to acquire their undesirable traits.
Is “if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.