cut the foot to fit the shoe; force fit
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to cut the feet to fit the shoes; to unreasonably accommodate existing conditions or rigidly apply something without regard to specific circumstances
formalThis idiom originates from 'Huainanzi·Shuolin Xun' (《淮南子·说林训》) and carries a strong negative connotation. It criticizes the practice of forcing something to fit inappropriate conditions rather than adapting the conditions themselves. The structure is Subject-Verb-Object, often used as a predicate or object in sentences.
This approach is tantamount to cutting the foot to fit the shoe, and will ultimately only lead to project failure.
We cannot cut the feet to fit the shoes, sacrificing innovation to accommodate outdated systems.
Show 2 more examplesShow fewer examples
Mechanically copying foreign experience is no different from cutting one's feet to fit the shoes.
If we cut the feet to fit the shoes just to meet standards, we will instead lose the product's distinctive features.