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Glite Dictionary
to mutilate one's chances

to mutilate one's chances

8.2
To greatly reduce your chances of success
  • idiom
translation icon : deteriorar tus oportunidades
  • Don't mutilate your chances by being late!

Examples

  • He mutilated his chances of getting the job.

  • His nervous answer nearly mutilated his chances of passing the interview.

  • Late submission could mutilate one's chances of getting the grant.

  • Spreading that rumor might mutilate your chances for a promotion.

  • Her reckless behavior could mutilate her chances of receiving a scholarship.

  • If you don't prepare adequately, you may mutilate your chances of success in the competition.

  • Ignoring the instructions could mutilate one's chances of winning the prize.

Synonyms

to damage
vsto mutilate one's chances
885 1.4

To harm something so it becomes less useful, valuable, or healthy

severely reduce success or progress rather than cause general harm
to mutilate
vsto mutilate one's chances
  • NSFW
73 7.4

Damage something by cutting or removing parts so it looks ruined

severely reduce success or progress rather than cause physical disfigurement
to do a job on
vsto mutilate one's chances
  • UK
3 7.7

Damage or spoil something badly

severely reduce success or progress rather than spoil physical objects
to torpedo their chances
vsto mutilate one's chances
7.9

To ruin their chances of success

severely reduce success or progress without implying intent

Antonyms

to enhance
424 4.0

Make something better or more attractive

How Damaging

to mutilate one's chances
8.2

Surface Forms

mutilate one's chances infinitive
mutilated one's chances past
mutilated one's chances past participle
mutilating one's chances present participle
mutilates one's chances third person singular

Morphology

mutilate + one + chance

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'mutilate' (to damage severely) with 'chances' (opportunities): it describes severely harming one's opportunities. Although 'mutilate' carries a strong physical/violent connotation, that metaphorical extension to abstract targets is regular enough that a learner who knows the constituent words can infer the sense.

Etymology

Mutilate one's chances paints a clear image: mutilate means to cut or badly damage and chances are your opportunities. Imagine someone cutting the path to a goal so you cannot reach it, so the phrase means 'to seriously damage your chances' of success.