catch a Tartar
verb
Roget 718:
retaliate,
retort,
turn upon;
pay,
pay off,
pay back;
pay in one's own coin,
pay in the same coin;
cap;
reciprocate
etc.
148;
turn the tables upon,
return the compliment;
give a quid pro quo
etc.
n.,
give as much as one takes,
give as good as one gets;
give and take,
exchange fisticuffs;
be quits,
be even with;
pay off old scores.
serve one right,
be hoist on one's own petard,
throw a stone in one's own garden,
catch a Tartar.
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Roget 547:
be deceived
etc.
545,
be the dupe of;
fall into a trap;
swallow the bait,
nibble at the bait;
bite,
catch a Tartar.
Roget 699:
be unskillful
etc.
adj.;
not see an inch beyond one's nose;
blunder,
bungle,
boggle,
fumble,
botch,
bitch,
flounder,
stumble,
trip;
hobble
etc.
275;
put one's foot in it;
make a mess of,
make hash of,
make sad work of;
overshoot the mark.
play tricks with,
play Puck,
mismanage,
misconduct,
misdirect,
misapply,
missend.
stultify oneself,
make a fool of oneself,
commit oneself;
act foolishly;
play the fool;
put oneself out of court;
lose control,
lose control of oneself,
lose one's head,
lose one's cunning.
begin at the wrong end;
do things by halves
etc.
(not complete)
730;
make two bites of a cherry;
play at cross purposes;
strain at a gnat and swallow a camel
etc.
(caprice)
608;
put the cart before the horse;
lock the stable door when the horse is stolen
etc.
(too late)
135.
not know what one is about,
not know one's own interest,
not know on which side one's bread is buttered;
stand in one's own light,
quarrel with one's bread and butter,
throw a stone in one's own garden,
kill the goose which lays the golden eggs,
pay dear for one's whistle,
cut one's own throat,
bum one's fingers;
knock one's head against a stone wall,
beat one's head against a stone wall;
fall into a trap,
catch a Tartar,
bring the house about one's ears;
have too many eggs in one basket
(imprudent)
863,
have too many irons in the fire.
mistake
etc.
495;
take the shadow for the substance
etc.
(credulity)
486;
bark up the wrong tree;
be in the wrong box,
aim at a pigeon and kill a crow;
take the wrong pig by the tail,
get the wrong pig by the tail,
get the wrong sow by the ear,
get the dirty end of the stick;
put the saddle on the wrong horse,
put a square peg into a round hole,
put new wine into old bottles.
cut blocks with a razor;
hold a farthing candle to the sun
etc.
(useless)
645;
fight with a shadow,
grasp at a shadow;
catch at straws,
lean on a broken reed,
reckon without one's host,
pursue a wild goose chase;
go on a fool's goose chase,
sleeveless errand;
go further and fare worse;
lose one's way,
miss one's way;
fail
etc.
732.
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