Etymology Journal · B
Bad apple
Meaning
- A single person who creates problems for an entire group, typically damaging the group's reputation. It implies one rotten item can spoil the whole container.
Judgmental, warning
Used in a sentence
- Most of the team is great, but there is one bad apple making us all look lazy.
- One bad apple should not spoil the reputation of the whole police force.
- We kicked the bad apple out so the rest of us can work in peace.
The backstory
This phrase draws on the literal fact that a rotting apple releases ethylene gas, which accelerates the spoilage of the other apples in the barrel. It has been a common metaphor since the 1800s.
Heard in
Nationwide
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