swings and roundabouts en · NOUN
Meanings
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(Australia, Ireland, UK, plural, plural-only) Gains and losses that offset each other.
Whether we pick up Mary first and then John or John first and then Mary is a matter of swings and roundabouts.
If, in order to save money, you never buy a parking ticket, you are more likely to get fined, so it's all swings and roundabouts really.
Relateds
what you gain on the swings you lose on the roundabouts · twists and turns · snakes and ladders · what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts