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3. I might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb

I might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb

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I might as well be hanged/hung for a sheep as a lamb.

something that you say when you are going to be punished for something so you decide to do something worse because your punishment will not be any more severe

Usage notes: In the past, people who stole lambs were killed, so it was worth stealing something more because there was no worse punishment.

I'm going to be late for work anyway, so I think I'll go to the shop for a paper. I might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.

See also: hanged, lamb, might, sheep, well