Robbing Peter to Pay Paul
To take funds from one source in order to pay another; to shift a debt. According to legend, the abbey church of St. Peter’s, in Westminster, was made into a cathedral in 1540, but ten years later it was joined to the diocese of London and many of its estates were appropriated to pay for the repairs of St. Paul’s Cathedral; hence St. Peter was “robbed” for the sake of St. Paul. Appealing as this source for the cliché may be, the expression actually was first used by John Wycliffe about 1340, when he wrote, “How should God approve that you rob Peter and give this robbery to Paul in the name of Christ?” In the mid-1950s George J. Hecht, founder and publisher of Parents Magazine, went to Washington to lobby—in the morning for lower postal rates for magazine publishers, and in the afternoon for larger appropriations to the Children’s Bureau, whereupon he was accused of trying to rob both Peter and Paul.
Humor-Filled Quotes
- “In the household budget, ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’ often leads to an epic showdown between the light bill and our love for lattes.” – Penny Frivol
Similar Expressions
- Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul
- Shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic
- Penny-wise and pound-foolish
Synonyms
- Redistribution
- Borrowing from one account to pay another
- Financial juggling
Mixed Metaphors
- Burning the family tapestry to heat dinner
- Robbing Zeus to build Mount Olympus
Inspirational Proverbs
- “Don’t empty tomorrow’s purse into today’s piggy bank.”
- “Share the burden and bear the joy.”
Recommended Literature
- “I.O.U.: Why Everyone Owes Everyone and No One Can Pay” by John Lanchester – An entertaining survey of financial systems and debt.
- “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert T. Kiyosaki – Relationships with money and finance management.
- “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens – Discusses the varying fortunes and financial habits of Pip.
Recommended Movies
- “The Big Short” – An incisive and often humorous take on financial game-playing leading to the 2008 housing crisis.
- “Wall Street” – Delving into the fiscal machinations and moral ambiguities of high-stakes finance.
- “Catch Me If You Can” – The thrilling tale of financial deceit with a charming con artist at its heart.
Recommended Songs
- “Money” by Pink Floyd – An anthem dissecting society’s obsession with dough.
- “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer – Chronicling the effort to stay financially afloat.
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🤓 W. T. Wittywords
