lining one's pockets
Enriching oneself dishonestly
To line one's pockets is to enrich oneself, usually through dishonest or unethical means.
The phrase implies someone is skimming money that should go elsewhere—public funds, company revenue, charitable donations: City officials were lining their pockets with contractor kickbacks.
The image is of stuffing cash into clothing.
Even without clear wrongdoing, the phrase carries an accusatory tone.
- cronyismFavoring friends in appointments
- profiteeringExploiting scarcity for gain
- price gougingExcessive pricing during crises
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- abuse of powerMisusing entrusted authority
quid pro quo · embezzlement · kickbacks · fraud · cooking the books · tax evasion · wage theft · self-dealing · conflict of interest · sweetheart deal · exploitation · nepotism · skimming · on the take · patronage · graft · slush fund · political corruption
lining one's pocketshonest work
Legitimate, ethical employment
working for a living · ethical business practices · earning one's keep · straight dealing · transparency
lining one's pocketsgiving back
Contributing to others' welfare
philanthropy · charitable giving · selflessness · generosity · altruism
lining one's pocketsgoing broke
financial ruin · going bankrupt · impoverishment · destitution
lining, lines, liners, linear, linearity, linearly, lineal, lineage, delineate