ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bad egg

idiom
Meaning

Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.


Origin

disputed origin

An allusion to an egg that has gone bad or turned rotten.

Examples
SIMPLE

Don't trust him, he is a bad egg.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager fired the new employee after realizing he was a bad egg who caused trouble for the whole team.

COMPLEX

Despite his charming outward appearance, the townspeople eventually discovered he was a bad egg who had been stealing from their savings for years.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    a wild goose never laid a tame egg

    Most things are inherited and predetermined.

  2. 02

    bad actor

    An individual or entity with a prior criminal conviction, or who has been sanctioned by the court or regulator.

  3. 03

    bad apple

    A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.

  4. 04

    bad books

    Disfavor.

  5. 05

    bad business

    Synonym of bad news (“irritating, troublesome or harmful thing, situation or person”).

  6. 06

    bad company

    The wrong crowd.

  7. 07

    bad hair day

    A day when things seem to be unmanageable or go wrong.

  8. 08

    bad iron

    bad luck.

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