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can’t punch one’s way out of a paper bag (Idiom Thursday)

February 9, 2012

The idiom #3 was originally used as an expression of contempt for a weak boxer.
Today it refers to somebody’s (total) lack of competence:
Don’t ask Michael to help you – he can’t punch his way out of a paper bag

There are several versions of the idiom:
She can’t act her way out of a paper bag.
He can’t fight his way out of a paper bag.
They can’t argue their way out of a paper bag.



You can use couldn’t instead of can’t  or change the verb in the idiom to express the kind of incompetence you’re talking about:
He couldn’t cook his way out of a paper bag.
I couldn’t drive my way out of a paper bag.

To make the phrase sound even stronger, you can say:
She can’t punch her way out of a wet paper bag.

Today I’ve learnt there’s also a(n US) variation for programmers  the “paper bag” part isn’t important anymore:
He couldn’t program a $20 out of an ATM.

What variation of the idiom do you like the best?
And how would you translate the idiom into Czech?

From → idioms & phrases

One Comment
  1. Charles Muller permalink

    I remember a “You Asked For IT” TV show many years ago when they had a boxer try to punch his way out of a large paper bag and he could not. Sides give as a person hits them.

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