Faustian bargain
2
9.8
- noun
- /ˈfaʊstɪən ˈbɑːrɡɪn/
- Literature
:
pacto faustiano
- In his quest for success, he entered a Faustian bargain that compromised his values.
And what happens when you make that Faustian bargain, basically.
- And what happens when you make that Faustian bargain, basically.
- You know, the devil goes down to Georgia, or you go to the crossroads to gain something in a Faustian bargain.
- And recognize that even though they feel like a Faustian bargain, you don't need to sell your soul if you're only willing to see them clearly.
Examples
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Today, a Faustian bargain refers to a trade that sacrifices integrity for short term gains.
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He knew he'd struck a Faustian bargain.
Fiction book (1995) -
" It's a Faustian bargain," she said.
Blog text (30) -
It was a Faustian bargain.
Blog text (32) -
Too late, they may discover that sacrificing religious liberty for political power is a Faustian bargain.
Academic text (1990) -
It is the insidious Faustian bargains we make every day.
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"What begins as some strange calling, or a mother's wish, or a dream, may end, if we are not careful, in a Faustian bargain," said Jean-Claude.
Fiction book (1991) -
In this view, Mexico cannot defeat these organizations; at best, it can achieve a Faustian bargain whereby the cartels are allowed to operate above the law in exchange for reducing their violence.
Academic text (2012) -
This is regress, not progress, and the GOP will pay a severe price for the Faustian bargain of "electability" that it entails.
Blog text (1) -
The communist and authoritarian regimes that hoped to maintain their centralized authority while still reaping the economic and military benefits of information technologies discovered they had signed a Faustian bargain.
Academic text (1996)
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
Given the provided constituent meanings, 'Faustian' (sacrificing morals for gain) plus 'bargain' (an agreement) yields a directly derivable meaning: an agreement involving moral compromise for benefit. Although the term alludes to the Faust legend, the semantic composition is transparent to a learner who already knows both constituent senses.
Etymology
Faustian bargain comes from the old story of a man named Faust who agreed to 'sell his soul' to the devil in return for power and knowledge. That's why the phrase means making a deal where someone gives up their morals or values for short-term success or gain.