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Do n't throw the baby out with the bath water
Do n't throw the baby out with the bath water
Do n't throw the baby out with the bath water : Phrases
Meaning:
Don't throw away good, tried methods (which have worked for a long time) when you come up with doing something in a new way.
Example:
Management was eager to implement their 32nd Mission Statement and drastic company change - they were ready to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Origin:
In the 1500s, most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell so brides carried a
bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children - last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.