old sins have long shadows
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: old sins cast long shadows
Meaning · English
Past misdeeds are liable to return to haunt a person.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Những sai lầm trong quá khứ sẽ quay lại ảnh hưởng
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
"'Old sins have long shadows,'" he went on musingly. "And this shadow of Bou Smain may yet engulf you if I am not quick.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “old sins have long shadows” mean?
Past misdeeds are liable to return to haunt a person.
Is “old sins have long shadows” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.