death by a thousand paper cuts
An ultimate negative outcome, such as the failure of a project, brought about by an excessive number of bureaucratic hurdles.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The project failed from death by a thousand paper cuts.”
“Too many small fees lead to death by a thousand paper cuts.”
“We lost the contract because of death by a thousand paper cuts, as every small rule change slowed us down.”
“Our renovation is facing death by a thousand paper cuts because the city inspector keeps finding tiny errors in our paperwork every single week.”
“The once-thriving company eventually collapsed, suffering a slow death by a thousand paper cuts caused by endless administrative delays and minor policy shifts.”
A blend of the phrases death by a thousand cuts and paper cut, the idiom employs paper as a metonym for the inconveniences of bureaucracy. The original thousand cuts refers to *lingchi*, a form of imperial Chinese execution involving a slow and systematic removal of portions of the body. In the modern variation, the blade is replaced by stationery; the terminal result remains the same, though the paperwork is considerably more tedious.
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article of death
The moment of death.
- 02
bat a thousand
To achieve success at each attempt.
- 03
cast of thousands
A large number of people in one place or carrying out one action.
- 04
catch one's death
To contract a serious illness, especially a nasty cold or other respiratory ailment and especially as a result of exposure to wet or chilly weather.
- 05
clear cut
Straightforward, obvious, simple, or basic.
- 06
cut a dash
To make a display of oneself; to give a conspicuous impression.
- 07
cut a deal
To reach a negotiated agreement.
- 08
cut a figure
To present an image; to make an impression.
Last updated August 10, 2026