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Eat One's Young

What Does "Eat One's Young" Mean?

homeidiomsEat One's Young
"Eat one's young" is an English idiom. It means "destroying or undermining one's subordinates or those who could be considered future competitors."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "eat one's young" used in a sentence:
  • This industry tends to eat its young, so it's hard for newcomers to get a solid start.
  • The senior staff here are notorious for eating their young. It's a competitive environment.
  • If you want to survive in this company, watch out for those who might want to eat their young.
meaning for eat one's young

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Eat One's Young" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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