hoist by one's own petard

[sagehen]

Wilson, joning with Charlie, writes:
" because you're hoist on your own petard."
Makes me wonder if Wilson, like me, for many years harbored the mistaken
idea that a petard was like a little pennant or banner *on* a flagpole....?
Anyway, as all of us who eventually looked this up found out, it ain't.
It's a bomb which hoises by blowing up! Thus "hoist by," not "hoist on."
AM

~@:>   ~@:>   ~@:>   ~@:>

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