to cut one's own throat
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Figuratively, to adopt a policy, or take action that ruins one's own chances, plans, etc. Similarly, to cut one another's throat is to ruin one another by excessive competition.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to cut one's own throat” mean?
Figuratively, to adopt a policy, or take action that ruins one's own chances, plans, etc. Similarly, to cut one another's throat is to ruin one another by excessive competition.
Is “to cut one's own throat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.