spoil (redirected from spoils)

rotten apple spoils the barrel

Prov. A bad person influences everyone he or she comes into contact with, making them bad too. Helen is the rotten apple that spoils the barrel in our office. Everyone sees her come in late to work and take long coffee breaks, and they think, "Why can't I do the same?"

See also: apple, barrel, rotten

spare the rod and spoil the child.

Prov. You should punish a child when he or she misbehaves, because if you do not, the child will grow up expecting everyone to indulge him or her. Jane: How can you allow your little boy to be so rude? Ellen: It distresses me to punish him. Jane: lean understand that, but spare the rod and spoil the child.

See also: and, child, rod, spare

spoiled rotten

Fig. indulged in; greatly spoiled. This kid is spoiled rotten! I was spoiled rotten when I was a child, so I'm used to this kind of wasteful luxury.

See also: rotten

spoiling for a fight

argumentative; asking for a fight. They were just spoiling for a fight, and they went outside to settle the matter. She was grouchy, and you could tell she had been spoiling for a fight all day.

See also: fight

To the victors belong the spoils.

Prov. The winners achieve power over people and property. The mayor took office and immediately fired many workers and hired new ones. Everyone said, "To the victors belong the spoils."

See also: belong

Too many cooks spoil the stew. and Too many Cooks spoil the broth.

Prov. Cliché Too many people trying to manage something simply spoil it. Let's decide who is in charge around here. Too many cooks spoil the stew. Everyone is giving orders, but no one is following them! Too many cooks spoil the broth.

See also: cook, many, stew

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be spoiling for a fight

to be very eager to fight or argue about something The trouble was caused by a group of demonstrators who were obviously spoiling for a fight.

See also: fight

be spoilt for choice  (mainly British) also be spoiled for choice (mainly American)

to have so many good possible choices that it is difficult to make a decision With 51 flavours of ice-cream to choose from you are spoiled for choice.

See also: choice

spoil somebody rotten

to do whatever someone wants you to do or to give them anything they want My husband spoils me rotten. Look at all this jewellery he's given me. Those children are spoiled rotten by their grandparents.

See also: rotten

spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar

to spoil something big or important by refusing to spend a small amount of money or make a small amount of effort They spent millions on a wonderful architect-designed building, but they've bought really cheap furniture. It's just spoiling the ship for a hap'orth of tar.

See also: ship, tar

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spoil somebody rotten

to do everything possible to satisfy someone's desires Those children are spoiled rotten by their grandparents. Dad always spoiled us rotten, and Mom was the one who disciplined us.

See also: rotten

spoiling for a fight

to be very eager to fight or argue He says what he thinks, and so people think he always seems to be spoiling for a fight.

See also: fight