Dictionary

too many cooks spoil the broth en · X

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

1. If too many people participate in a task, especially in a leading role, the task will not be done very well.
   • She professes to keep her own counsel; she says, and truly enough, that “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” c. 1803–1805, Jane Austen, “The Watsons”, in J[ames] E[dward] Austen[-]Leigh, A Memoir of Jane Austen: […] to which is Added Lady Susan and Fragments of Two Other Unfinished Tales by Miss Austen, 2nd edition, London: Richard Bentley and Son, […], published 1871, →OCLC, pages 301–302:

Forms

Antonyms

the more the merrier · many hands make light work

Relateds

a camel is a horse designed by a committee · too many chiefs and not enough Indians

Translations (40)

pt quem não ajuda não atrapalha (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · th มากหมอมากความ (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · cmn 人多誤事 /人多误事 (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · uk у семи няньок дитя без ока (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · cmn 人多手腳亂 /人多手脚乱 (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · de viele Köche verderben den Brei (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · ayl المركب اللي ليها ريسين تغرق (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · bg много баби, хилаво дете (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · da for mange kokke fordærver maden (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · lt devynios auklės, vaikas be galvos (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · ja 船頭多くして船山に登る (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · pt muita cera queima a igreja (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · eo tro da kuiristoj kaĉon difektas (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · ko 사공이 많으면 배가 산으로 간다 (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · es muchas manos en un plato causan arrebato (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · pt a cera sobeja queima a igreja (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · fr deux patrons font chavirer la barque (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · fa آشپز که دوتا شد، آش یا شور میشود، یا بینمک (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · no jo flere kokker, jo mer søl (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · it troppi galli nel pollaio (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · vi lắm thầy nhiều ma (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · it troppi galli a cantare (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · cs příliš mnoho kuchařů přesolí polévku (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · fi mitä useampi kokki, sitä huonompi soppa (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · nl veel koks verzouten de brij (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · es muchas manos en un plato hacen mucho garabato (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · cmn 人多添亂 /人多添乱 (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · pl gdzie kucharek sześć, tam nie ma co jeść (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · ru у семи́ ня́нек дитя́ без гла́за (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · sv ju fler kockar, desto sämre soppa (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · fr autant de têtes, autant d'avis (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · el όπου λαλούν πολλοί κοκόροι αργεί να ξημερώσει (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · fr trop de cuisiniers gâtent la sauce (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · ajp إذا كترو طباخين بتنحرق الطبخة (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · my ဆရာများ သားသေ (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · nl veel koks bederven de brij (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · he בְּרֹב חוֹבְלִים תַּטְבַּעְנָה הַסְּפִינוֹת (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · ro copilul cu mai multe moașe rămâne cu buricul netăiat (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · hu túl sok szakács elsózza a levest (with too many people a task won't be done very well) · vi chín người mười ý (with too many people a task won't be done very well)