one rotten apple spoils the (whole) barrel 1. proverb It only takes one bad person, thing, element, etc., to ruin the entire group, situation, project, etc. Refers to the fact that a rotting apple can cause other apples in close proximity to begin to rot as well.
What is the saying a rotten apple really does spoil?
2. proverb The criminal, unethical, corrupt, or otherwise negative behavior of a single person will spread to other people around them. Ever since that crook took over as CEO, the company has been backsliding into shadier and shadier business arrangements. A rotten apple really does spoil the barrel.
Does One Bad Apple really spoil the whole barrel?
But the proverb to which O’Brien alluded actually suggests the opposite: “one bad apple spoils the whole barrel.”
What is spoil the barrel?
a rotten apple spoils the (whole) barrel. (redirected from a rotten apple spoils the barrel) 1. Proverb It only takes one bad person, thing, element, etc., to ruin the entire group, situation, project, etc. Refers to the fact that a rotting apple can cause other apples in close proximity to begin to rot as well.
Do apples spoil their own skin?
Even without the influence of invader or infection, an apple abets its own spoilage: its skin, minutely porous, exhales ethylene, a gaseous compound that induces ripening, and the fruit has no interest in stopping at the point where it serves our needs. O’Brien is far from the first person to get the expression wrong.
Who first said one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel?
As time passed, other versions of the idiom formed. "The rotten apple spoils his companion" appears in published work by Benjamin Franklin in 1736. That one eventually morphed to, "One bad apple spoils the barrel," with the ending varying to baskets or bins.
Why does one rotten overripe apple spoil the barrel due to which compound?
That's not just an old adage. It's a scientific fact. And it all has to do with ethylene, a gas produced internally by the fruit to stimulate ripening.
Is rotten apple that spoils the basket an idiom?
It usually goes something like “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch” or “a few bad apples spoil the whole barrel.” So instead of suggesting that one bad apple is an isolated problem, the idiom means that if you consistently have bad apples hanging around, the problem is going to spread.
What represent the rotten apples?
You can use rotten apple to talk about a person who is dishonest and therefore causes a lot of problems for the group or organization they belong to. Police corruption is not just a few rotten apples.
Where does the saying one bad apple come from?
The proverb was rephrased by Benjamin Franklin in Poor Richard's Almanack in 1736, stating "the rotten apple spoils his companion." The phrase was popularized by sermons during the 19th century, claiming "As one bad apple spoils the others, so you must show no quarter to sin or sinners." A popular form of the saying ...
What causes an apple to spoil?
Fruits like apples can rot and decay over time. Mold and fungus cause the quickest degradation, but even exposing an apple to heat can cause it to oxidize. Bruises and punctures offer the quickest route for mold and fungus to take hold. Different pathogens have different effects on rotting apples.
Does one apple spoil the bunch?
If so, you may be familiar with the saying, “One bad apple can spoil the bunch." That popular phrase is used to refer to a situation in which one person's negative demeanor or bad behavior can affect a whole group of people, influencing them to have a similar negative attitude or to engage in the same bad behavior.
What is jumping the gun?
Start doing something too soon, act too hastily. For example, The local weather bureau jumped the gun on predicting a storm; it didn't happen for another two days. This expression alludes to starting a race before the starter's gun has gone off, and supplants the earlier beat the pistol, which dates from about 1900. [
How does a few bad apples ruin everything?
Bad apples distract and drag down everyone, and their destructive behaviors, such as anger, laziness and incompetence, are remarkably contagious.
What is the bad apple effect?
Conclusions - "Bad apples" are people who are internally conflicted. These internal conflicts tend to spread up to the level of the group, decreasing the groups' complexity, flexibility, and their ability to grow and adapt.
What does "one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel" mean?
One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel, unfortunately. 2. proverb The criminal, unethical, corrupt, or otherwise negative behavior of a single person will spread to other people around them. Ever since that crook took over as CEO, the company has been backsliding into shadier and shadier business arrangements.
How many bad apples spoil the barrel?
it takes one bad apple to spoil the (whole) barrel
What does "rotten apple" mean?
a rotten apple spoils the (whole) barrel. 1. proverb It only takes one bad person, thing, element, etc., to ruin the entire group, situation, project, etc. Refers to the fact that a rotting apple can cause other apples in close proximity to begin to rot as well.
What does "rotten apple" mean?
a rotten apple spoils the (whole) barrel. 1. proverb It only takes one bad person, thing, element, etc., to ruin the entire group, situation, project, etc. Refers to the fact that a rotting apple can cause other apples in close proximity to begin to rot as well.
When was the idea of the rotten apple first mentioned?
The idea was stated as long ago as the fourteenth century (in a Latin proverb sometimes translated as “the rotten apple injures its neighbors”), long before the mechanism of spreading mold or other plant disease was understood.
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?"
rotten apple spoils the barrel, a
One bad individual can spoil an entire group. The idea was stated as long ago as the fourteenth century (in a Latin proverb sometimes translated as “the rotten apple injures its neighbors”), long before the mechanism of spreading mold or other plant disease was understood.
What does "rotten apple" mean?
a rotten apple spoils the (whole) bunch. 1. proverbIt only takes one bad person, thing, element, etc., to ruin the entire group, situation, project, etc. Refers to the fact that a rotting apple can cause other apples in close proximity to begin to rot as well.
How many bad apples spoil a bushel?
it takes one bad apple to spoil the (whole) bushel