phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

Baby and bathwater

Posted by Bruce Kahl on December 11, 2004

In Reply to: Baby and bathwater posted by Jose Carlos on December 10, 2004

: Hi again:

: Probably this cliche - don't throw the baby out with the bathwater - has already been on the spotlight here, but I simply wonder what origin it has and what the exact meaning is. Can you give an actual example of usage?

: Thanks,

: Jose Carlos

The origin is from the German. Maybe someone else who I know with a large collection of books can help you.

From a recent personal use I can state that one of my kids asked me to proof read one of her essays for school.

After my looking at it and with the resultant cross outs and arrows going all which way, she wanted to trash the whole thing and start all over.

I told her not to throw out the baby with the the bathwater but to calmly look at what I suggested and mabye incorporate my suggestions into what she already did.

She did and we all lived happily ever after.

© 1997 – 2024 Phrases.org.uk. All rights reserved.