Dictionary

it takes one to know one en · X

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) Expressing the same underlying character-judgment themes as pot calling the kettle black or set a thief to catch a thief.
   • They hired the most devious scammers they could find and paid them quite well to do some red-team work, because it takes one to know one.
2. (childish, colloquial) A retort to a negative accusation, implying that the accuser shares the fault.
   • Bob: You're an idiot!
   • “I’ve got a bad egg,” said Bervick. “I guess this was a pre-war egg.” […] “It takes one to know one,” said the Chief, referring back to the eggs. 1946, Gore Vidal, Williwaw, page 45:
   • Anyone who appreciates Shakespeare as this author unquestionably does is another Shakespeare — it takes one to know one! 1947, Poet Lore, page 280:
   • Tony: Takes one to know one!
   • There's an unkind saying that it takes one to know one, and it's almost true. 1949, Nial Kent, The Divided Path, page 358:
   • Brezhnev pretended a scowl. "Kissinger is such a scoundrel," he said. But Henry was ready for that. "It takes one to know one," he replied. 1980, Gerald Ford, “Problems Multiply”, in A Time to Heal, New York: Berkley Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 209:

Forms

Relateds

look who's talking · if the shoe fits, wear it · I know you are but what am I

Translations (13)

ga aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · de alles, was ich denk' und tu', trau' ich auch dem andern zu (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · ru каждый судит по себе (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · da tyv tror, at hver mand stjæler (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · it il bue che dice cornuto all'asino (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · fi kyllä koira koiran tuntee (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · es piensa el ladrón que todos son de su condición (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · pl swój swojego zawsze pozna (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · pt o sujo falando do mal lavado (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · fr c'est celui qui dit qui l'est (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · sv den som sa det han var det (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · ca pensa el lladre que tothom roba (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver) · gd aithnichidh na leth-chiallaich a chèile (an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver)