eat (one's) young



eat (one's) young

To neglect, betray, or harshly criticize members of a group that are of a lower status or position. The more experienced nursing staff has been accused of eating their young, treating trainees and new nurses with sometimes intolerable contempt. As the business crumbled, the CEOs and members of management began eating their young out of desperation, indiscriminately firing anyone who had less than five years' experience in the company.
See also: eat, young

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Gallus-Ancient Roman
Lysistrate-Ancient Greek
SylviSUYL-vee (Finnish)Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish
Ishbel-Scottish
FlickFLIKEnglish
Hevel-Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew