if the shoe fits, wear it

See also: if the shoe fits

English

Proverb

if the shoe fits, wear it

1. (idiomatic) If a description fits, it is probably the case; if an insult accurately describes you, you must bear it; if you take offence at an insult that was only implicitly directed at you, you admit the insult is true enough to be recognizable.
   • 1901, Horatio Alger, chapter 18, in Young Captain Jack:

     "Do you mean to insult me by that?" he roared.
     "If the shoe fits, you can wear it."
     "I'll knock you down for the insult."

2. (idiomatic) If it works, there is not a problem using it. Often a response to being judged when using an incorrect tool.

Synonyms

• (UK) if the cap fits, wear it
• if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck

Translations

idiomatic

• Arabic: please add this translation if you can:
• Chinese: 對號入座／对号入座 (zh) (duìhàorùzuò)
• Czech: potrefená husa se ozvala
• Dutch: wie de schoen past, trekke hem aan
• Finnish: jos siltä näyttää
• French: si le chapeau te fait, mets-le (fr)
• German: wenn du dich angesprochen fühlst
• Hindi: please add this translation if you can:
• Hungarian: akinek nem inge, ne vegye magára
• Italian: chi ha orecchie per intendere intenda
• Jamaican Creole: mi throw mi corn, mi neva call nuh fowl
• Japanese: please add this translation if you can:
• Korean: please add this translation if you can:
• Polish: not used in Polish
• Portuguese: se a carapuça serviu
• Russian: на во́ре́ и ша́пка гори́т (ru) (na vóré i šápka gorít) (the hat burns on the thief too)
• Spanish: el que se pica, ajos come; al que le quepa el sayo; al que le pique, que se rasque; a el que le quede el saco, que se lo ponga, quien se pica, ajos come (es)
• Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can:

See also

• it takes one to know one