the blind leading the blind


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the blind leading the blind

A situation in which incompetent or ignorant people are guided or taught by an equally incompetent or ignorant person. Don't ask me to tutor someone in algebra because it would be the blind leading the blind. That project stalled as soon as it became a case of the blind leading the blind—no one knew what they were doing!
See also: blind, leading

The blind leading the blind

Prov. Someone who is not capable of dealing with a situation is guiding someone else who is not capable of dealing with it. (See also .) Jill: Mike is helping me fill out my tax forms this year. Jane: Is he a tax expert? Jill: He read a book about income tax once. Jane: Sounds to me like the blind leading the blind. Nathan offered to be my guide through Philadelphia, but since he'd never been there before either, it was a case of the blind leading the blind.
See also: blind, leading

blind leading the blind

Those lacking the skills or knowledge for something are being guided by equally inept individuals. For example, Bill's teaching his son carpentry; that's a case of the blind leading the blind. The expression is found in the New Testament as one of Jesus's teachings (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39). [c. 1600]
See also: blind, leading

the blind leading the blind

If you describe a situation as the blind leading the blind, you mean the person who is trying to show someone what to do has skills or knowledge that are no better than the person they are helping. If Cedric was going to work with Eric, it would be the blind leading the blind. They don't know anything about human rights. It's like the blind leading the blind. Note: This expression comes from one of the stories told by Jesus in the Bible: `Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.' (Matthew 15:14)
See also: blind, leading

the blind leading the blind

a situation in which the ignorant or inexperienced are instructed or guided by someone equally ignorant or inexperienced.
This phrase alludes to the proverb when the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch , quoting Matthew 15:14.
See also: blind, leading

the ˌblind leading the ˈblind

(saying) a situation in which people with almost no experience or knowledge give advice or help to others who also have no experience or knowledge: I don’t know why she asked me to show her how the computer works when I’ve hardly used it myself. It would be a case of the blind leading the blind!
See also: blind, leading

blind leading the blind, the

Those who try to teach or guide others, even though they know no more than their pupils. The phrase comes from the Bible, presented as one of Jesus’s teachings in the books of Matthew (15:14) and Luke (6:39). It is quoted by numerous writers thereafter and is a proverb in John Heywood’s collection in 1546: “Where the blynd leadth the blynd, both fall in the dike.”
See also: blind, leading
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