If you can't beat them, join them



If you can't beat them, join them.

 and If you can't lick 'em, join 'em.
Prov. If you have to give up fighting some group because you can't win, band together with them. (The version with lick is informal.) Jill: I just got a kitten. Jane: I can't believe it! You used to hatepeople who owned cats. Jill: If you can't beat them, join them. Alan: I hear you're a Republican now. Fred: Yeah, I figured, if you can't lick 'em, join 'em.
See also: beat, if, join

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Aravind-Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
FÍOna-Irish
MÁIrÍNMOI-reen, MAW-reenIrish
ElbaEL-bahSpanish
MervinMUR-vin (English)Welsh, English
Hamon-Medieval English