🗓️ Idiom: Every Man for Himself (exp)
💬 Meaning
- Everyone must act in their own self-interest, especially in a difficult or chaotic situation
- No cooperation or teamwork is happening. People only do what is best for themself.
🧠 Example Sentences
- When the system went down, it was every man for himself in the customer service queue.
- Without a team leader, the project turned into every man for himself.
- In a crisis, some teams fall apart and become every man for himself instead of working together.
🏛️ Origin
This phrase dates back to the 16th century and reflects situations where people stop helping each other and act selfishly to survive or succeed. It is often used to describe chaos, panic, or lack of teamwork.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
When the manager left suddenly, it became ____________________ in the office.
Answer
every man for himself
2. Choose the correct meaning:
What does “every man for himself” mean?
a) Everyone is treated fairly
b) Everyone works together
c) Everyone acts independently without helping others
Answer
c) Everyone acts independently without helping others
3. Change the sentence using “every man for himself”:
“The employees stopped cooperating and focused only on their own tasks.”
Answer
The workplace became every man for himself.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
📚 Learning Resources
👉 Collaboration and Team Work Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List
👥 Support Spaces
👉 Student Space
👉 Tutor Toolkit
⭐️ Extras
📫 Get a Daily Idiom
🚀 Build a Business with AI