arroseur arrosé

French

Etymology

Literally, “waterer watered”; due to an eponymous 1895 short film.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.ʁo.zœ.ʁ‿a.ʁo.ze/

• Audio (Canada):

  (file)

Noun

arroseur arrosé m (usually uncountable, plural arroseurs arrosés)

1. (figuratively) the biter bit; one who receives the same comeuppance they planned for others, particularly through their own actions to bring this about, or such a situation

   C’est l’arroseur arrosé.

   He's been hoist(ed) by his own petard.

   • 2023 April 3, Solenn de Royer, “Emmanuel Macron et Les Républicains, ou l’histoire de l’arroseur arrosé”, in Le Monde‎^[1]:

     Sa promesse de relever l’âge de départ à la retraite à 65 ans répondait d’abord à cet objectif, lui qui assurait, deux ans plus tôt, que cette option était « hypocrite » tant que le problème du chômage n’était pas réglé. Là encore, il se retrouve l’arroseur arrosé, alors que cette promesse est en passe de paralyser son second mandat.

     His promise to raise the retirement age to 65 primarily aimed to achieve that objective—he, who, two years earlier, had claimed that that option would be "hypocritical" as long as the unemployment issue remained unresolved. Here, again, he finds himself hoist with his own petard, as that promise is on the verge of crippling his second term.

See also

• tel est pris qui croyait prendre