It takes a thief to catch a thief In english explanation

The meaning, explanation, definition and origin of the idiom/phrase "it takes a thief to catch a thief", English Idiom Dictionary ( also found in Vietnamese )

Lym Nguyen

2021-04-08 07:04

Meaning of It takes a thief to catch a thief

Synonyms:

be cast in the same mould , be of the same mind , be on the same wavelength , set a thief to catch a thief , a meeting of minds

It takes a thief to catch a thief proverb

This idiom implies that a person who is good at shirking the law can guess or realize someone who has similar behavior to catch.

He's a professional robber. He can definitely help us catch the gang of robbers. Easily understanding, it takes a thief to catch a thief.

One of the effective ways to catch the criminal is taking a thief to catch a thief.

David: Why are you letting criminals join us for the investigation? Alex: It takes a thief to catch a thief. He's a criminal, so he will know what criminals might do.

Other phrases about:

Identity theft

Using someone else's personal information illegally without permission

Hedge your bets

Reduce or avoid your chances of the future failure or loss by trying several different possibilities instead of one

be caught flat-footed

To be startled or surprised while unprepared; to be put in a difficult or disadvantageous situation when something happens which one does not expect

suck (someone or something) dry

To take all of another person's or thing's available resources.

feel (one's) collar

If you say that you feel one's collar, you mean that you arrest him legally.

Origin of It takes a thief to catch a thief

Apparently, the essence of this proverb can be found in Pleasant Notes upon Don Quixote, a 1654 commentary by E Gayton on Miguel de Cervantes' early 17th century work. It is also to be found in Thomas Fuller's Church-History of Britain (1655), so presumably the expression was in reasonably common use at the time. Indeed, given that the Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs notes that Callimachus (writing in the second half of the 3rd century BC) said "being a thief myself I recognized the tracks of a thief", the chances are the expression has been around for a very long time. A similar proverb is "an old poacher makes the best gamekeeper".

The Origin Cited: bookbrowse.com .