"It takes one to know one"
okay hmm i have asked this question before but i kinda get it kinda not...so what does this quote mean?
2006-08-28 11:14:26 · 8 answers · asked by nasheila 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
It takes one to know one.
meaning: If you criticize someone, you most likely are the same type of person
It is a catchphrase cliché used informally to indicate that someone who is swift to identify and criticize a wrongdoer of some kind, is mostly guilty of the similar offence.
Example: Annie’s husband says that Jim is cheating on his wife. Well, you know what they say: “It takes one to know one”.
2006-08-28 11:34:50 · answer #1 · answered by Angel****1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The person who expressed criticism has similar faults to the person being criticized. This classic retort to an insult dates from the early 1900s. For example, You say she's a terrible cook? It takes one to know one! For a synonym, see pot calling the kettle black. A near equivalent is the proverbial it takes a thief to catch a thief, meaning "no one is better at finding a wrongdoer than another wrongdoer." First recorded in 1665, it remains current.
2006-08-28 18:17:50 · answer #2 · answered by violetb 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some people fail to recognize a smart a#@ because their personality is kinder. But a real smart a*@ will immediately recognize another one, hence, "It takes one to know one."
2006-08-28 18:40:46 · answer #3 · answered by Teacher 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's kind of like saying "what you say is what you are"
For instance: if someone called you a jerk, they would not know YOU were a jerk unless he or she was, in fact, a jerk. So, if someones calls you a name, they would not be able to recognize that about you if they were not one.
2006-08-28 18:20:44 · answer #4 · answered by purple4k 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This means that the only way you would know to point out that someone was bossy (an example only) was that if you were also bossy.
2006-08-28 18:20:21 · answer #5 · answered by Behhar B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Another classic expression of the same idea would be: "Two thieves in the marketplace need no introduction."
2006-08-28 18:20:49 · answer #6 · answered by trident_of_paracelsus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means "right back at you." In other words, if you tell someone they're loud and obnoxious they think the same of you.
2006-08-28 18:17:59 · answer #7 · answered by phoenixheat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means whatever you say to a person is also applicable to you. for example, you say 'that girl is a flirt', then it takes one to know one. it takes a flirt to know a flirt, meaning, you yourself is a flirt as well to recognize her as such. :)
2006-08-28 18:28:21 · answer #8 · answered by DJ Alex 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋