if you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging
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English
[edit]Proverb
[edit]if you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging
- When finding oneself in a troubling situation, one should first make sure one is not making the situation worse by one's own actions before addressing all other causes.
Usage notes
[edit]- This rule is known as the law of holes or Healey's law.
Synonyms
[edit]- when you are in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging
- when you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging