"Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" is an

idiom An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. Categorized as formulaic language, ...

atic expression for an avoidable error in which something good or of value is eliminated when trying to get rid of something unwanted. A slightly different explanation suggests this flexible catchphrase has to do with discarding the essential while retaining the superfluous because of excessive zeal.

History

This idiom derives from a German proverb, ''das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten''. The earliest record of this phrase is in 1512, in ''Narrenbeschwörung'' (''Appeal to Fools'') by

Thomas Murner Thomas Murner, OFM (24 December 1475c. 1537) was an Alsatian satirist, poet and translator. He was born at Oberehnheim (Obernai) near Strasbourg. In 1490 he entered the Franciscan order, and in 1495 began travelling, studying and then teaching a ...

, which includes a woodcut illustration showing a woman tossing a baby out with waste water. It is a common catchphrase in German, with examples of its use in work by

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

Johannes Kepler Johannes Kepler (; ; 27 December 1571 – 15 November 1630) was a German astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, natural philosopher and writer on music. He is a key figure in the 17th-century Scientific Revolution, best known for his laws ...

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...

Otto von Bismarck Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (, ; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898), born Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, was a conservative German statesman and diplomat. From his origins in the upper class of J ...

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novella ...

, and

Günter Grass Günter Wilhelm Grass (born Graß; ; 16 October 1927 – 13 April 2015) was a German novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor, and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature. He was born in the Free City of Da ...

Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy. Born in Ecclefechan, Dum ...

adapted the concept in an 1849 essay on slavery: Carlyle is urging his readers to join in the struggle to end slavery, but he also encourages them to be mindful of the need to try to avoid harming the slaves in the process.

Alternative expressions

The meaning and intent of the English idiomatic expression is sometimes presented in different terms. * Throw out the champagne with the cork * Empty the baby out with the bath *Don't scour the Teflon when you wash a panShaw Bernard and Edwin Wilson. (1961)
''Shaw on Shakespeare: an Anthology of Bernard Shaw's Writings on Plays and Production of Shakespeare,'' p. xvii.
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References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* * Cheng Lim Tan. (2002). ''Advanced English Idioms for Effective Communication.'' Singapore: Singapore Asian Publications. ; * Nichols, James. (1995). ''Assessment Case Studies: Common Issues in Implementation with Various Campus Approaches to Resolution.'' New York: Agathon Press. ; * * Shaw Bernard and Edwin Wilson. (1961). ''Shaw on Shakespeare: an Anthology of Bernard Shaw's Writings on Plays and Production of Shakespeare.'' New York: E.F. Dutton. reprinted in 2002 by Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, New York. ; * Wilton, David. (2004). ''Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends.'' New York:

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...

. ; ;

External links

* {{YouTube , id=ImYRL6bmZ2Q , title=Karl Pilkington - Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater — audio excerpt from the Ricky Gervais Show English-language idioms Bathing