rod for one's back

Meaning: (idiomatic)The means of one's ownpunishmentordownfall.1866Sept,Henry Kingsley, “Silcote of Silcotes”, inMacMillan's Magazine, volume14,page324:"Silcote, you are making arod for your backin your treatment of that child. She'll live to break your heart for you."1997October 4, John Williams, “Blair Maps Out Party's Long March”, inThe Mirror, UK:Nobody is more wary of Tony Blair's record ratings and the illusion of the Prime Minister's omnipotence than Tony Blair himself. "He thinks his approval ratings are arod for his back," says one adviser.2009February 2, Dita De Boni, “Keeping Mum: Sparing the Rod?”, inNew Zealand Herald:I can't get over how you parents let your children run riot over you. There must be some discipline in this surely, otherwise you will make arod for your backwhen they get older.

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