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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Talk about past choices returning with consequences, without using the proverb to blame people unfairly.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptWhen someone’s “chickens come home to roost,” past mistakes or wrongdoing return to cause problems. “Curses, like chickens, come home to roost” warns that wishing harm on others can have consequences too. The article also mentions “wake up with the chickens,” “be a chicken,” and “run around like a chicken with its head cut off.”
Cultural note: The proverb is often critical and can sound as if it blames someone for hardship. Do not use it to dismiss illness, discrimination, abuse, or other harm outside a person’s control. “Chicken” meaning a fearful person can also sound teasing or insulting.
Keep exploringA farmyard image helps explain how earlier choices can catch up with someone. Tone matters: a proverb should not become a way to blame victims.
Phrase guide · 5 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Describe consequences connected to earlier behavior.
Meaning
That person’s past mistakes or wrongdoing return to cause problems.
Tone & use
Often critical and sometimes moralizing. Use only when the consequences really connect to the person’s earlier actions.
Example
“After repeatedly ignoring maintenance warnings, the company faced expensive repairs; its chickens had come home to roost.”
Understand the warning about wishing harm on others.
Meaning
Wishing harm on others may bring trouble or regret back to the person who wished it.
Tone & use
A warning, not a prediction that every bad wish will literally come true. Avoid using it to excuse harm or blame someone for being harmed.
Example
“He hoped his rival would fail, then regretted the bitterness; curses, like chickens, come home to roost.”
Recognize informal expressions about fear, busyness, and early mornings.
Meaning
Wake up very early in the morning.
Tone & use
Informal and humorous. The image refers to farm animals that are active early.
Example
“On market days, she wakes up with the chickens to set up her stall.”
Meaning
Be fearful or unwilling to do something because it seems frightening.
Tone & use
Informal and often teasing or insulting. It can sound dismissive if someone has a genuine safety concern.
Example
“I was a chicken about trying the high diving board, so I watched from below.”
Meaning
Rush around in a confused or disorganized way.
Tone & use
A vivid and informal simile. Use it about chaotic activity, not as a neutral description of someone’s workload.
Example
“We ran around like chickens with our heads cut off before the guests arrived.”
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