cut both ways

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

cut both ways

1. (idiomatic) To have both benefits and drawbacks.
   • March 10 2012, New Zealand Herald, Michele Hewitson interview: Ben Fouhy[1]

     A redundant observation about Ben Fouhy: It's not easy being him. "No, not really. But that cuts both ways you know, that affords me the opportunities, the highs and lows, the heights and depths that perhaps other people don't ... experience."

See also

• double-edged
• two-edged