professional suicide: Idiom Meaning and Origin
What does ‘professional suicide’ mean?
The idiom "professional suicide" refers to actions or decisions that can severely harm or ruin one's career, reputation, or professional standing.
Idiom Explorer
The idiom "top oneself" means to commit suicide. It is a colloquial expression and should be used with caution due to its sensitive nature.
An idiom often used to describe a person who is disliked or considered bad, with negative qualities or behavior.
The idiom "play with fire" means to engage in a dangerous or risky activity, often knowing the potential consequences but still proceeding anyway.
The idiom "pave the road to hell" means that even though someone may have good intentions, their actions or decisions can ultimately lead to negative consequences or harm.
The idiom "paint oneself into a corner" means to create a difficult situation for oneself through one's own actions or decisions, leaving no easy way out or alternative solutions.
The idiom "on the skids" refers to a situation or person that is in decline or deteriorating. It can describe something or someone facing a loss of reputation, success, or stability.
The idiom "on one's deathbed" refers to someone being in the final stages of their life, typically when they are fatally ill or dying. It implies that the person is very close to death, often used to emphasize the seriousness or urgency of a situation.
Failed Career Move
Professional suicide is an idiom used to describe a decision or action that severely harms a person's career. It emphasizes the damaging consequences something can have on one's professional prospects.
This idiom originated from the literal meaning of suicide. Suicide refers to the deliberate act of causing one's own death. The term suicide comes from the Latin words "sui" and "cidium," meaning "of oneself" and "killing," respectively. Over time, suicide has been used metaphorically to describe acts or decisions that have significant negative consequences on one's well-being or future.
In the context of the idiom professional suicide, the word "professional" refers to one's occupation or career. It can be applied to any situation where an individual's actions or choices lead to severe damage to their professional reputation, advancement, or future opportunities in their chosen field.
When someone commits professional suicide, they engage in behavior or make decisions that are extremely detrimental to their career. These actions can result in job loss, reputation damage, limited chances for advancement or new opportunities, and even the end of a professional career.
The idiom professional suicide is a metaphorical way to highlight the severity of the consequences. It suggests that the negative impact of certain actions or decisions can be as significant as causing one's own literal death, but in the professional realm. This metaphor emphasizes the gravity and irreversibility of the damage caused.
Related Idiom: "top oneself"
The idiom "top oneself" is related to professional suicide. It is often used informally to describe the act of intentionally causing one's own death. In the context of professional suicide, "top oneself" emphasizes the extreme and irreversible nature of the damage caused to one's career.
Related Idiom: "matter of life and death"
The idiom "matter of life and death" is also related to professional suicide. It is used to describe something that is extremely important or has serious consequences. In the context of professional suicide, the idiom highlights the gravity of the decision or action and its potential to severely impact one's career.
Related Idiom: "nuclear option"
The idiom "nuclear option" is relevant to professional suicide as well. It is used to describe an extreme or drastic course of action that is usually a last resort. In the context of professional suicide, the idiom emphasizes the destructive nature of certain choices or behaviors that can have devastating effects on one's career.
Related Idiom: "make a career of"
The idiom "make a career of" is connected to professional suicide. It is used to describe someone who is dedicated to a particular career or occupation. In the context of professional suicide, the idiom suggests that someone who consistently engages in detrimental behavior or makes harmful decisions is essentially "making a career" out of damaging their professional prospects.
Related Idiom: "rotten egg"
The idiom "rotten egg" is also relevant to professional suicide. It is used to describe someone who is considered a liability or who has a negative impact on a group or situation. In the context of professional suicide, the idiom suggests that someone engaging in detrimental behavior or making harmful decisions is seen as a "rotten egg" in their professional environment.
Overall, professional suicide is an idiom that emphasizes the severe consequences of decisions or actions that harm one's career. It highlights the irreversibility of the damage caused and the finality of the impact on professional prospects. Related idioms such as "top oneself," "matter of life and death," "nuclear option," "make a career of," and "rotten egg" further illustrate the gravity and implications of professional suicide.
Example usage
1. John decided to speak out against his boss's unethical practices, knowing it could be professional suicide and potentially cost him his job.
2. The actress knew that publicly criticizing the director's work would be professional suicide, as it would likely ruin her chances of being cast in future projects.
3. The politician's controversial statement during the debate was considered professional suicide, as it alienated a large portion of their base and damaged their reputation.
More "Career" idioms
