robs Peter to pay Paul
Borrowing from elsewhere
To rob Peter to pay Paul is to solve one problem by creating another—taking from one source to cover a debt elsewhere.
The phrase suggests futility: you haven't improved your situation, just shifted the burden.
Borrowing from your retirement to pay off credit cards is robbing Peter to pay Paul.
- quick fixHasty temporary solution
- loanBorrowed money repaid later
- debtMoney owed another
- workaroundMakeshift bypass of difficulty
- jugglingSequential toss-and-catch performance
compromise · sacrifice · redistribution · repayment · credit · triage · fairness · short-termism · running on empty · zero-sum · borrowing · shell game · shell corporation · patch · obligation · transfer · cutting corners · prioritization
problem-solving effectiveness
robs Peter to pay Paulkills two birds with one stone
Achieves two aims together