derivation of quote - "borrowing from peter to pay paul"?

Answer 1

It is often tough to find out exactly how such phrases originated, but one source suggests the expression 'rob Peter to pay Paul' goes back at least to John Wycliffe's 'Select English Works,' written in about 1380. Equally old in French, the saying may derive from a 12th-century Latin expression referring to the Apostles: 'As it were that one would crucify Paul in order to redeem Peter.'

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Rob Peter To Pay Paul

Answer 3

derivation quote borrowing peter pay paul

Answer 4

The meaning is to take from one fund to pay another. It suggests a zero-sum situation. Often the expression is "rob Peter to pay Paul."

The proverb has been around for hundreds of years. The expression goes back at least to John Wycliffe's 'Select English Works,' written in about 1380. It is probably older than that.

The expression exists in many cultures and languages. For example, the Spanish have an expression "Desnudar a uno santo para vestir a otro," which means "To undress one saint to dress another."

Answer 5

The ancient proverb, author unknown, is "To rob Peter to pay Paul." To take from one and give to another."

According to the book, "The Antiquity of Proverbs" by Dwight Edwards Marvin (published in 1922), many believe it was not used earlier than 1560. On Dec. 17, 1550, the abbey church of St. Peter's, Westminster, was made a cathedral. Ten years later, when the lands of Westminster became depleted and no longer generated sufficient funds to run the Cathedral, it was closed and the proceeds were used to refurbish St. Paul's of London. The author notes, however, that this account is in disputes and quotes Lanfranc's "Science of Cirurgie," written around 1400, as follows: "For sum medicyne is for Peter that is not good for Poule, for diuersite of complexioun." The two names were used for alliteration and not in reference to the Apostles. In 1562, Heywood quoted the proverb, "Rob Peter to Pay Paul," so it is possible that this was a widely used phrase that people merely employed to discuss the Cathedrals. The book goes on to reveal the French saying, "To strip St. Peter to clothe St. Paul," which was used as a robing proverb to discuss the indiscriminate use of vestments on the Saints Days.

Whatever, it's a great proverb that people now use with the word borrow. In my opinion the word "borrow" came about in the age of political correctness because people find it hard to accuse others of being thiefs, i.e. of "robbing."

If you'd link to go to the link I found, here it's below in the source section.

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
derivation of quote - "borrowing from peter to pay paul"?

Answer 7

Actually, it's attributed to the bells in the towers of Norte Dame in Paris. During the construction, a bell was taken from the North tower and placed in the south Tower to complete the installation, with the idea of casting a new bell for the North tower, which was never done. So the saying was "robbing from Peter to pay Paul" because the bell towers of Notre Dame are named "Peter" and "Paul".

Answer 8

your digging yourself a hole you dont have the money to pay everone you are like it says borrowing money to pay someone else back