trust everybody, but cut the cards
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
One should have general faith in the good intentions of others, but one should never neglect to take appropriate precautions against being deceived or cheated.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Nên tin tưởng người khác nhưng không được chủ quan
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
A deep-dyed fatalist, sentimental yet cynical—"Trust everybody," he is fond of saying, "but cut the cards"—his running history of his Chicago tribe is a struggle of clan and family survival, with little help from outsiders.
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 “trust everybody, but cut the cards” mean?
One should have general faith in the good intentions of others, but one should never neglect to take appropriate precautions against being deceived or cheated.
Is “trust everybody, but cut the cards” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.