ir por lana y volver trasquilado: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  SpainLatin AmericaproverbialcolloquialMachine
  • To set out to gain an advantage or to take something and end up being taken advantage of; to attempt to profit and return worse off.
  • To attempt to cheat or get the better of someone and instead be outwitted or suffer a loss.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Quiso aprovecharse de la situación, pero terminó yendo por lana y volvió trasquilado.

    He wanted to take advantage of the situation but ended up setting out to gain and returned worse off.

  • Si intentas engañarlo, recuerda que puedes ir por lana y volver trasquilado como le pasó a Luis.

    If you try to cheat him, remember you might attempt to profit and return worse off like what happened to Luis.

  • Pensé que iba a ganar la negociación, pero fui por lana y volví trasquilado sin un centavo.

    I thought I was going to win the negotiation, but I set out to gain and came back worse off without a cent.