step on a rake
Slapstick self-inflicted bonk
To step on a rake is to suffer a predictable, self-inflicted mishap—from the slapstick image of someone stepping on a rake's head and getting smacked in the face by the handle.
The phrase describes blundering into obvious consequences: Every time he tries to fix it, he steps on another rake.
Often implies repeated mistakes of the same kind.
- shoot oneself in the footHarm one's own cause
- hoist by one's own petardHarmed by own plot
- stumbleLose footing momentarily
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- tripPlanned travel somewhere
dig one's own grave · backfire · gaffe · oversight · misstep · bite off more than one can chew · comeuppance · jump the gun · slip · fall · cartoonish · error · faux pas · put one's foot in one's mouth · egg on one's face · miscalculation · foot in mouth · collide
step on a rakedodge a bullet
Narrowly avoid disaster
see it coming · watch your step · think ahead · land on your feet · keep your eyes open
step on a rakestick the landing
Finish a routine flawlessly
pull it off · ace it · nail it · thread the needle · save face
step, steps, stepped, stepping, stepper, steppers, rake, rakes, raked