Meaning of which foot the shoe is on | Babel Free

Definitions

Which point of view is considered or whose interests are used as a basis.

idiomatic

Examples

“A whole lot depends on whose foot the shoe is on. I have noticed some of these fellows who speak about sentiment do not object so much to it when it works their way.”

“As usual, it makes a difference which foot the shoe is on. All too often the farmer has been willing to vote for legislation as long as he was exempted […] But he doesn't like it when it is proposed that laws he supports when they apply to others also be applied to him.”

“The little girl said to her mother, "Mother, why is it when you are cross, you say it's your nerves; and when I'm nervous, you say I'm cross?" It depends on which foot the shoe is on, doesn't it?”

“Some of those involved with the Broadway Triangle proposal, however, dispute the coalition’s claims that the project unfairly excludes minority residents. “It all depends on which foot the shoe is on,” said Rabbi David Niederman […] “Other groups are trying to dilute the chances of Jewish families getting access to affordable apartments by trying to include another large community board in the development.””

CEFR level