the blind leading the blind
1
8.2
- idiom
:
los ciegos guiando a los ciegos
- Hiring inexperienced managers is often a case of the blind leading the blind in a company.
Otherwise it's worse than the blind leading the blind.
- Otherwise it's worse than the blind leading the blind.
Examples
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The blind leading the blind.
Fiction book (1990) -
The project failed because it was just the blind leading the blind.
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- You know, the blind leading the blind.
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It's the blind leading the blind.
Fiction book (1995) -
It's the blind leading the blind!
Fiction book (1994) -
"The blind leading the blind."
Fiction book (1994) -
Mr. Gordon, all parents feel... like they're the blind leading the blind.
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The Scriptures are indeed fulfilled in this: that the blind are leading the blind.
Blog text (10) -
"The blind leading the blind," Manuel said, sitting down at the table to wait for his supper.
Fiction book (1990) -
So sick of "know-it-alls" claiming their knowledge is superior and correct compared to someone else's... it goes nowhere... it's like... the blind leading the blind and the flock.
Blog text (33)
How Knowledgeable
Surface Forms
Morphology
the + blind + lead + the + blind
Knowing 'blind' (unable to see) and 'lead' (to guide) allows a learner to form the literal image of someone who cannot see guiding another who also cannot see, which metaphorically conveys mutual incompetence. This metaphorical extension ('blind' = unaware) is common cross-linguistically and thus somewhat inferable, but the specific idiomatic sense 'uninformed people guiding others' is not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
The blind leading the blind comes from the image of one blind person trying to guide another; because neither can see, they stay lost or may fall into danger, so the saying describes 'people without knowledge or skill' guiding others like them.