Consequences: English Vocabulary List

used to say that it is important to take proactive steps to protect oneself and one's belongings, rather than relying on weak or unreliable security measures

"Poor security invites theft — a bad padlock invites a picklock."

"The weak password policy made the company an easy target — a bad padlock invites a picklock."

used to imply that individuals are responsible for the consequences of their actions and must accept the outcomes of their choices

"You must live with the consequences of your choices — as you make your bed, so you must lie on it."

"He chose the risky strategy and when it failed, he accepted it — as you make your bed, so you must lie on it."

used to warn that there will be consequences for one's actions, particularly if they involve indulgence or excess

"There is always a price to pay after the pleasure — after dinner comes the reckoning."

"The celebration was wonderful, but after dinner comes the reckoning — the invoice arrived the next morning."

used to say that offenders must be caught before they can be punished for their crimes, emphasizing the importance of taking necessary actions before consequences can occur

"You must first catch someone before punishing them — catching is before hanging."

"The committee wanted to impose penalties immediately, but catching is before hanging — no evidence had been found yet."

used to suggest that sometimes it is better to avoid prying too deeply into a situation or trying to discover too much information, as this can have negative consequences

"Being too curious can lead to trouble — curiosity killed the cat."

"She dug into matters that did not concern her and caused a serious problem — curiosity killed the cat."

used to imply that destiny or fate determines who shall be killed, rather than chance or random occurrence

"Fate decides who dies."

"During the war, soldiers understood that every bullet has its billet, accepting their predetermined fates."

used to highlight the notion that those who engage in wrongdoing often live in fear or anticipate negative repercussions

"Those who do wrong are always afraid of consequences — evil doers are evil dreaders."

"He was suspicious of everyone's motives because he knew what he himself was capable of — evil doers are evil dreaders."

used to suggest that the more damaging or scandalous the truth is, the more likely it is to result in a lawsuit or other legal action for defamation

"The more true something is, the more damage it does — the greater the truth, the greater the libel."

"The documentary exposed real corruption, showing that the greater the truth, the greater the libel."

used to imply that a small mistake or oversight can lead to significant problems that require a lot of effort and time to fix

"One small mistake creates years of consequences — one year's seeding makes seven years' weeding."

"The error introduced into the database took years to fully correct — one year's seeding makes seven years' weeding."

used to say that everything has a cost or consequence, even if it is not immediately apparent

"Nothing is truly free — there is no such thing as a free lunch."

"The complimentary service came with hidden obligations — there is no such thing as a free lunch."

used to emphasize that there is no escaping the repercussions of one's misdeeds

"Ill-gotten gains eventually lead to loss — what goes over the devil's back comes under his belly."

"He profited dishonestly for years, but what goes over the devil's back comes right under his belly."

used to suggest that one's actions or behavior will have corresponding consequences or outcomes, whether they are positive or negative

"Your actions determine your outcomes — you reap what you sow."

"The team that invested in preparation achieved the best results — you reap what you sow."

used to suggest that past mistakes or wrongdoings can have long-lasting consequences and continue to haunt or affect a person even after many years have passed

"Past mistakes follow you for a long time — old sins cast long shadows."

"The company's reputation never fully recovered from the scandal — old sins cast long shadows."

used to suggest that if one gives up or sells something valuable, one also gives up the benefits and advantages that come with it

"Giving something up means losing all its benefits — if you sell the cow, you sell her milk too."

"Selling the family estate meant losing generations of memories, as if you sell the cow, you sell her milk too."

used to highlight the idea that every action or decision has consequences or repercussions

"Every bullet has a billet."

"You must understand that every bullet has a billet, so your choices will inevitably lead to specific outcomes."

used to imply that entering into a transaction or exchange without fully understanding the terms or evaluating the risks involved can lead to negative outcomes or undesirable consequences

"Beware of unfair exchanges."

"She tried to reclaim the prize after the winner was announced — give a thing and take a thing, to wear the devil's gold ring."