"what goes around comes around" meaning in English

See what goes around comes around in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proverb

Etymology: First attested in the 1950s in sense 1, originally in African-American English. Etymology templates: {{etydate/the|1950s}} the 1950s, {{etydate|1950s|nodot=1}} First attested in the 1950s Head templates: {{head|en|proverb}} what goes around comes around
  1. A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person. Translations (actions have consequences): каквото повикало, такова се обадило (kakvoto povikalo, takova se obadilo) (Bulgarian), всичко се връща (vsičko se vrǎšta) (Bulgarian), на каквото си постелеш, на такова ще легнеш (na kakvoto si posteleš, na takova šte legneš) (Bulgarian), 善有善報,惡有惡報 (Chinese Mandarin), 善有善报 (Chinese Mandarin), 恶有恶报 (shànyǒushànbào, èyǒu'èbào) (Chinese Mandarin), 種瓜得瓜 (Chinese Mandarin), 种瓜得瓜 (zhòngguādéguā) (Chinese Mandarin), 種豆得豆 (Chinese Mandarin), 种豆得豆 (zhòngdòudédòu) (Chinese Mandarin), 媳婦熬成婆 (Chinese Mandarin), 媳妇熬成婆 (xífù áo chéng pó) (Chinese Mandarin), 因果循环,报应不爽。 (Chinese Mandarin), jak se do lesa volá, tak se z lesa ozývá (Czech), hvad et menneske sår skal han høste (Danish), som man råber i skoven får man svar (Danish), man ligger som man reder (Danish), wie wind zaait, zal storm oogsten (Dutch), dat komt ervan (Dutch), kia ago tia pago (Esperanto), kiu semas venton tiu rikoltos ventegon (Esperanto), minkä taakseen jättää, sen edestään löytää (Finnish), niin metsä vastaa kuin sinne huudetaan (Finnish), on récolte ce que l’on sème (French), qui sème le vent récolte la tempête (French), wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus (German), man erntet, was man sät (German), wie man sich bettet, so liegt man (German), die Vergangenheit holt einen immer ein (German), das kommt davon (German), sowas kommt von sowas (German), wie du mir, so ich dir (German), alles rächt sich irgendwann (German), שלח לחמך על פני המים כי ברבות הימים תמצאנו (Hebrew), מה שנותנים ־ מקבלים (Hebrew), כל אחד מקבל בסוף מה שמגיע לו (Hebrew), הגלגל מסתובב (Hebrew), גלגל חוזר בעולם (Hebrew), ki mint vet, úgy arat (Hungarian), amilyen az adjonisten, olyan a fogadjisten (Hungarian), chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta (Italian), chi la fa l'aspetti (Italian), si raccoglie ciò che si semina (Italian), same knife stick sheep, stick goat (Jamaican Creole), 因果応報 (inga-ōhō) (alt: いんがおうほう) (Japanese), 業によりて果を引く (gō ni yorite ka o hiku) (alt: ごうによりてかをひく) (Japanese), 뿌린대로 거둔다 (ppurindaero geodunda) (Korean), buat baik dibalas baik, buat jahat dibalas jahat (Malay), man høster som man sår (Norwegian), از هر دست بدهی از همان دست میگیری (az har dast bedahi, az hamân dast migiri) (Persian), co z siebie dajesz, to do ciebie wraca (Polish), jak Kuba Bogu, tak Bóg Kubie (Polish), jak sobie pościelesz, tak się wyśpisz (Polish), fortuna kołem się toczy (Polish), quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades (Portuguese), aqui se faz, aqui se paga (Portuguese), você colhe o que planta (Portuguese), o mundo dá voltas (Portuguese), tudo que vai volta (Portuguese), chumbo trocado não dói (Portuguese), Dumnezeu nu bate cu parul (Romanian), как ау́кнется, так и откли́кнется (kak aúknetsja, tak i otklíknetsja) (Russian), что посе́ешь, то и пожнёшь (što poséješʹ, to i požnjóšʹ) (Russian), sve se vraća, sve se plaća; kako siješ tako žanješ (Serbo-Croatian), todo cae por su propio peso (Spanish), donde las dan, las toman (Spanish), som man bäddar får man ligga (Swedish), som man sår får man skörda (Swedish), svinhugg går igen (Swedish), kung anong itinanim, siya ring aanihin (Tagalog), திணை விதைத்தவன் திணை அறுப்பான் (tiṇai vitaittavaṉ tiṇai aṟuppāṉ) (Tamil), வினை விதைத்தவன் வினை அறுப்பான் (viṉai vitaittavaṉ viṉai aṟuppāṉ) (Tamil), กงเกวียนกำเกวียน (gong-gwiian-gam-gwiian) (Thai), กรรมใดใครก่อ กรรมนั้นคืนสนอง (gam-dai-krai-gɔ̀ɔ gam-nán-yɔ̂m-kʉʉn-sà-nɔ̌ɔng) (Thai), กรรมตามสนอง (gam-dtaam-sà-nɔ̌ɔng) (Thai), ให้ทุกข์แก่ท่าน ทุกข์นั้นถึงตัว (hâi-túk-gɛ̀ɛ-tân túk-nán-tʉ̌ng-dtuua) (Thai), başkasına fenalık eden kendine etmiş olur (Turkish), qaytar dunyo (Uzbek), ác giả ác báo (Vietnamese), đời cha ăn mặn, đời con khát nước (Vietnamese)
    Sense id: en-what_goes_around_comes_around-en-proverb-ASu07rOx Disambiguation of 'actions have consequences': 62 38
  2. Things repeat in cycles. Synonyms: what go round come round, what goes round comes round, what comes around goes around
    Sense id: en-what_goes_around_comes_around-en-proverb-WvipJ-Ua Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English proverbs Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 13 87 Disambiguation of English proverbs: 14 86 Related terms: bite in the arse, bite in the ass, boomerang, circular firing squad, come back to bite, come back to haunt, come full circle, fuck around and find out [vulgar], golden rule, karma, old sins have long shadows, play stupid games, win stupid prizes, reap what one sows, skeleton in the closet, sow the wind, reap the whirlwind, the chickens come home to roost

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for what goes around comes around meaning in English (15.7kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "1950s"
      },
      "expansion": "the 1950s",
      "name": "etydate/the"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "1950s",
        "nodot": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "First attested in the 1950s",
      "name": "etydate"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "First attested in the 1950s in sense 1, originally in African-American English.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb"
      },
      "expansion": "what goes around comes around",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2020, Ava Max, Madison Love, Måns Wredenberg, Noonie Bao, Cirkut, Linus Wiklund (lyrics and music), “Who's Laughing Now”, in Heaven & Hell, performed by Ava Max",
          "text": "So lonely in your bed / Does breakin' me make you feel good? / Guess you don't understand / What goes around, comes around",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person."
      ],
      "id": "en-what_goes_around_comes_around-en-proverb-ASu07rOx",
      "links": [
        [
          "action",
          "action"
        ],
        [
          "good",
          "good"
        ],
        [
          "bad",
          "bad"
        ],
        [
          "consequence",
          "consequence"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "note": "لَا تَحْصِدُ إِلَّا مَا زَرَعْتَهُ (lā taḥṣidu ʔillā mā zaraʕtahu, literally “you reap only what you sow”)",
          "sense": "actions have consequences"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "kakvoto povikalo, takova se obadilo",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "каквото повикало, такова се обадило"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "vsičko se vrǎšta",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "всичко се връща"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "na kakvoto si posteleš, na takova šte legneš",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "на каквото си постелеш, на такова ще легнеш"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "善有善報,惡有惡報"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "善有善报"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "shànyǒushànbào, èyǒu'èbào",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "恶有恶报"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "種瓜得瓜"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "zhòngguādéguā",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "种瓜得瓜"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "種豆得豆"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "zhòngdòudédòu",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "种豆得豆"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "媳婦熬成婆"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "xífù áo chéng pó",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "媳妇熬成婆"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "因果循环,报应不爽。"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "jak se do lesa volá, tak se z lesa ozývá"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "hvad et menneske sår skal han høste"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "som man råber i skoven får man svar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "man ligger som man reder"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "wie wind zaait, zal storm oogsten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "dat komt ervan"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "kia ago tia pago"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "kiu semas venton tiu rikoltos ventegon"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "minkä taakseen jättää, sen edestään löytää"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "niin metsä vastaa kuin sinne huudetaan"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "on récolte ce que l’on sème"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "qui sème le vent récolte la tempête"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "man erntet, was man sät"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "wie man sich bettet, so liegt man"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "die Vergangenheit holt einen immer ein"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "das kommt davon"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "sowas kommt von sowas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "wie du mir, so ich dir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "alles rächt sich irgendwann"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "שלח לחמך על פני המים כי ברבות הימים תמצאנו"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "מה שנותנים ־ מקבלים"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "כל אחד מקבל בסוף מה שמגיע לו"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "הגלגל מסתובב"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "גלגל חוזר בעולם"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "ki mint vet, úgy arat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "amilyen az adjonisten, olyan a fogadjisten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "chi la fa l'aspetti"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "si raccoglie ciò che si semina"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "jam",
          "lang": "Jamaican Creole",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "same knife stick sheep, stick goat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "alt": "いんがおうほう",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "inga-ōhō",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "因果応報"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "alt": "ごうによりてかをひく",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "gō ni yorite ka o hiku",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "業によりて果を引く"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "ppurindaero geodunda",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "뿌린대로 거둔다"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "buat baik dibalas baik, buat jahat dibalas jahat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "man høster som man sår"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "az har dast bedahi, az hamân dast migiri",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "از هر دست بدهی از همان دست میگیری"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "co z siebie dajesz, to do ciebie wraca"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "jak Kuba Bogu, tak Bóg Kubie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "jak sobie pościelesz, tak się wyśpisz"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "fortuna kołem się toczy"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "aqui se faz, aqui se paga"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "você colhe o que planta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "o mundo dá voltas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "tudo que vai volta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "chumbo trocado não dói"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "Dumnezeu nu bate cu parul"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "kak aúknetsja, tak i otklíknetsja",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "как ау́кнется, так и откли́кнется"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "što poséješʹ, to i požnjóšʹ",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "что посе́ешь, то и пожнёшь"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "sve se vraća, sve se plaća; kako siješ tako žanješ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "todo cae por su propio peso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "donde las dan, las toman"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "som man bäddar får man ligga"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "som man sår får man skörda"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "svinhugg går igen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "tl",
          "lang": "Tagalog",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "kung anong itinanim, siya ring aanihin"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ta",
          "lang": "Tamil",
          "roman": "tiṇai vitaittavaṉ tiṇai aṟuppāṉ",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "திணை விதைத்தவன் திணை அறுப்பான்"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ta",
          "lang": "Tamil",
          "roman": "viṉai vitaittavaṉ viṉai aṟuppāṉ",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "வினை விதைத்தவன் வினை அறுப்பான்"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "roman": "gong-gwiian-gam-gwiian",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "กงเกวียนกำเกวียน"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "roman": "gam-dai-krai-gɔ̀ɔ gam-nán-yɔ̂m-kʉʉn-sà-nɔ̌ɔng",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "กรรมใดใครก่อ กรรมนั้นคืนสนอง"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "roman": "gam-dtaam-sà-nɔ̌ɔng",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "กรรมตามสนอง"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "roman": "hâi-túk-gɛ̀ɛ-tân túk-nán-tʉ̌ng-dtuua",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "ให้ทุกข์แก่ท่าน ทุกข์นั้นถึงตัว"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "başkasına fenalık eden kendine etmiş olur"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "uz",
          "lang": "Uzbek",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "qaytar dunyo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "ác giả ác báo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "actions have consequences",
          "word": "đời cha ăn mặn, đời con khát nước"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "13 87",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 86",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English proverbs",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2005, Michael Stonebraker, Joseph M. Hellerstein, “What Goes Around Comes Around”, in Joseph M. Hellerstein, Michael Stonebraker, editors, Readings in Database Systems, 4th edition, page 2",
          "text": "Unfortunately, the main proposal in the current XML era bears a striking resemblance to the CODASYL proposal from the early 1970’s, which failed because of its complexity. Hence, the current era is replaying history, and “what goes around comes around”. Hopefully the next era will be smarter.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2006, Peter-Paul Koch, “Afterword”, in ppk on JavaScript",
          "text": "The most important one is the end of the Ajax hype. I’m not sure when it will happen, but I know that it will. What goes around comes around—what once was cool and modern will become old hat and boring.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015, Tony Levene, Investing for Dummies, 4th edition, page 93",
          "text": "Equally, what goes around, comes around. When it comes to investment theories, nothing new under the sun exists because ideas go stale and then get reinvented.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Things repeat in cycles."
      ],
      "id": "en-what_goes_around_comes_around-en-proverb-WvipJ-Ua",
      "links": [
        [
          "repeat",
          "repeat"
        ],
        [
          "cycle",
          "cycle"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "bite in the arse"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "bite in the ass"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "boomerang"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "circular firing squad"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "come back to bite"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "come back to haunt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "come full circle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "tags": [
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "fuck around and find out"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "golden rule"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "karma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "old sins have long shadows"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "play stupid games, win stupid prizes"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "reap what one sows"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "skeleton in the closet"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "sow the wind, reap the whirlwind"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 79",
          "word": "the chickens come home to roost"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "23 77",
          "word": "what go round come round"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 77",
          "word": "what goes round comes round"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 77",
          "word": "what comes around goes around"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "African-American English"
  ],
  "word": "what goes around comes around"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English proverbs",
    "Requests for review of Arabic translations",
    "Requests for review of Slovak translations",
    "Requests for review of Thai translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "1950s"
      },
      "expansion": "the 1950s",
      "name": "etydate/the"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "1950s",
        "nodot": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "First attested in the 1950s",
      "name": "etydate"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "First attested in the 1950s in sense 1, originally in African-American English.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb"
      },
      "expansion": "what goes around comes around",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "bite in the arse"
    },
    {
      "word": "bite in the ass"
    },
    {
      "word": "boomerang"
    },
    {
      "word": "circular firing squad"
    },
    {
      "word": "come back to bite"
    },
    {
      "word": "come back to haunt"
    },
    {
      "word": "come full circle"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "vulgar"
      ],
      "word": "fuck around and find out"
    },
    {
      "word": "golden rule"
    },
    {
      "word": "karma"
    },
    {
      "word": "old sins have long shadows"
    },
    {
      "word": "play stupid games, win stupid prizes"
    },
    {
      "word": "reap what one sows"
    },
    {
      "word": "skeleton in the closet"
    },
    {
      "word": "sow the wind, reap the whirlwind"
    },
    {
      "word": "the chickens come home to roost"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2020, Ava Max, Madison Love, Måns Wredenberg, Noonie Bao, Cirkut, Linus Wiklund (lyrics and music), “Who's Laughing Now”, in Heaven & Hell, performed by Ava Max",
          "text": "So lonely in your bed / Does breakin' me make you feel good? / Guess you don't understand / What goes around, comes around",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "action",
          "action"
        ],
        [
          "good",
          "good"
        ],
        [
          "bad",
          "bad"
        ],
        [
          "consequence",
          "consequence"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2005, Michael Stonebraker, Joseph M. Hellerstein, “What Goes Around Comes Around”, in Joseph M. Hellerstein, Michael Stonebraker, editors, Readings in Database Systems, 4th edition, page 2",
          "text": "Unfortunately, the main proposal in the current XML era bears a striking resemblance to the CODASYL proposal from the early 1970’s, which failed because of its complexity. Hence, the current era is replaying history, and “what goes around comes around”. Hopefully the next era will be smarter.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2006, Peter-Paul Koch, “Afterword”, in ppk on JavaScript",
          "text": "The most important one is the end of the Ajax hype. I’m not sure when it will happen, but I know that it will. What goes around comes around—what once was cool and modern will become old hat and boring.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015, Tony Levene, Investing for Dummies, 4th edition, page 93",
          "text": "Equally, what goes around, comes around. When it comes to investment theories, nothing new under the sun exists because ideas go stale and then get reinvented.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Things repeat in cycles."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "repeat",
          "repeat"
        ],
        [
          "cycle",
          "cycle"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "what go round come round"
    },
    {
      "word": "what goes round comes round"
    },
    {
      "word": "what comes around goes around"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "note": "لَا تَحْصِدُ إِلَّا مَا زَرَعْتَهُ (lā taḥṣidu ʔillā mā zaraʕtahu, literally “you reap only what you sow”)",
      "sense": "actions have consequences"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "kakvoto povikalo, takova se obadilo",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "каквото повикало, такова се обадило"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "vsičko se vrǎšta",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "всичко се връща"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "na kakvoto si posteleš, na takova šte legneš",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "на каквото си постелеш, на такова ще легнеш"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "善有善報,惡有惡報"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "善有善报"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "shànyǒushànbào, èyǒu'èbào",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "恶有恶报"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "種瓜得瓜"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "zhòngguādéguā",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "种瓜得瓜"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "種豆得豆"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "zhòngdòudédòu",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "种豆得豆"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "媳婦熬成婆"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "xífù áo chéng pó",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "媳妇熬成婆"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "因果循环,报应不爽。"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "jak se do lesa volá, tak se z lesa ozývá"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "hvad et menneske sår skal han høste"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "som man råber i skoven får man svar"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "man ligger som man reder"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "wie wind zaait, zal storm oogsten"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "dat komt ervan"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "kia ago tia pago"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "kiu semas venton tiu rikoltos ventegon"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "minkä taakseen jättää, sen edestään löytää"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "niin metsä vastaa kuin sinne huudetaan"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "on récolte ce que l’on sème"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "qui sème le vent récolte la tempête"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "man erntet, was man sät"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "wie man sich bettet, so liegt man"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "die Vergangenheit holt einen immer ein"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "das kommt davon"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "sowas kommt von sowas"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "wie du mir, so ich dir"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "alles rächt sich irgendwann"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "שלח לחמך על פני המים כי ברבות הימים תמצאנו"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "מה שנותנים ־ מקבלים"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "כל אחד מקבל בסוף מה שמגיע לו"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "הגלגל מסתובב"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "גלגל חוזר בעולם"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "ki mint vet, úgy arat"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "amilyen az adjonisten, olyan a fogadjisten"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "chi la fa l'aspetti"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "si raccoglie ciò che si semina"
    },
    {
      "code": "jam",
      "lang": "Jamaican Creole",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "same knife stick sheep, stick goat"
    },
    {
      "alt": "いんがおうほう",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "inga-ōhō",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "因果応報"
    },
    {
      "alt": "ごうによりてかをひく",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "gō ni yorite ka o hiku",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "業によりて果を引く"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "ppurindaero geodunda",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "뿌린대로 거둔다"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "buat baik dibalas baik, buat jahat dibalas jahat"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "man høster som man sår"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "az har dast bedahi, az hamân dast migiri",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "از هر دست بدهی از همان دست میگیری"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "co z siebie dajesz, to do ciebie wraca"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "jak Kuba Bogu, tak Bóg Kubie"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "jak sobie pościelesz, tak się wyśpisz"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "fortuna kołem się toczy"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "aqui se faz, aqui se paga"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "você colhe o que planta"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "o mundo dá voltas"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "tudo que vai volta"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "chumbo trocado não dói"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "Dumnezeu nu bate cu parul"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "kak aúknetsja, tak i otklíknetsja",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "как ау́кнется, так и откли́кнется"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "što poséješʹ, to i požnjóšʹ",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "что посе́ешь, то и пожнёшь"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "sve se vraća, sve se plaća; kako siješ tako žanješ"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "todo cae por su propio peso"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "donde las dan, las toman"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "som man bäddar får man ligga"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "som man sår får man skörda"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "svinhugg går igen"
    },
    {
      "code": "tl",
      "lang": "Tagalog",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "kung anong itinanim, siya ring aanihin"
    },
    {
      "code": "ta",
      "lang": "Tamil",
      "roman": "tiṇai vitaittavaṉ tiṇai aṟuppāṉ",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "திணை விதைத்தவன் திணை அறுப்பான்"
    },
    {
      "code": "ta",
      "lang": "Tamil",
      "roman": "viṉai vitaittavaṉ viṉai aṟuppāṉ",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "வினை விதைத்தவன் வினை அறுப்பான்"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "roman": "gong-gwiian-gam-gwiian",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "กงเกวียนกำเกวียน"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "roman": "gam-dai-krai-gɔ̀ɔ gam-nán-yɔ̂m-kʉʉn-sà-nɔ̌ɔng",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "กรรมใดใครก่อ กรรมนั้นคืนสนอง"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "roman": "gam-dtaam-sà-nɔ̌ɔng",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "กรรมตามสนอง"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "roman": "hâi-túk-gɛ̀ɛ-tân túk-nán-tʉ̌ng-dtuua",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "ให้ทุกข์แก่ท่าน ทุกข์นั้นถึงตัว"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "başkasına fenalık eden kendine etmiş olur"
    },
    {
      "code": "uz",
      "lang": "Uzbek",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "qaytar dunyo"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "ác giả ác báo"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "actions have consequences",
      "word": "đời cha ăn mặn, đời con khát nước"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "African-American English"
  ],
  "word": "what goes around comes around"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-24 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (82c8ff9 and f4967a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.