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Meaning: If a guilty person is given sufficient freedom to act, he will reveal his guilt. Background: John Ray included this expression in his 1670 book of proverbs indicating that it was in regular use in England at that time.
proverb If you give someone the opportunity to do something wrong or detrimental to themselves, they will usually do it; one does not need to interfere to bring about someone's downfall. Don't interrupt the suspect, just let him keep talking. Give him enough rope and he will hang himself.
give a man enough rope and he will hang himself. proverb If you give people the opportunity to do something wrong or detrimental to themselves, they will usually do it; one does not need to interfere to bring about someone's downfall. Don't interrupt him with questions.
give someone enough rope to hang himself or herself in British English. to allow someone to accomplish his or her own downfall by his or her own foolish acts. See full dictionary entry for rope. Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers.
give someone enough rope to hang themselves. The King has simply given the politicians enough rope to hang themselves: once the party system has been discredited by political in-fighting, he will present himself once again as an absolute ruler.
give someone enough rope to hang himself or herself in British English. to allow someone to accomplish his or her own downfall by his or her own foolish acts. See full dictionary entry for rope.
Give him enough rope and he'll hang himself definition: . See examples of GIVE HIM ENOUGH ROPE AND HE'LL HANG HIMSELF used in a sentence.
