A Taste of Your Own Medicine (Origin)

by Craig Shrives

What Is the Origin of the Saying "A Taste of Your Own Medicine"?

The term "to get a taste of your own medicine" means "to be mistreated just as you have mistreated others."

"To get a taste of your own medicine" comes from one of Aesop's Fables. (Aesop was a Greek storyteller credited with a number of fables, which are now known as Aesop's Fables. He lived 620-564 BC). This specific fable relates to a swindler who sold fake medicine, claiming that it could cure any ailment. When the swindler himself became ill, people gave him his own medicine, which he knew would not work.
A Taste of Your Own Medicine (Origin)

Previous and Next Sayings

Test Your Knowledge of English Proverbs and Idioms

Ready for the Test?

More Proverbs, Sayings, and Idioms

Help Us Improve Grammar Monster

  • Do you disagree with something on this page?
  • Did you spot a typo?

Find Us Quicker!

  • When using a search engine (e.g., Google, Bing), you will find Grammar Monster quicker if you add #gm to your search term.
Next lesson >

See Also

What are idioms? What is figurative language? A list of common grammar errors A list of easily confused words A list of sayings and proverbs