The phrase “cutting off the nose to spite the face” means that a person is behaving in a way that may be immediately rewarding but is ultimately destructive or has negative consequences. This phrase is typically used to caution someone against acting in a hasty manner or to keep someone from doing something that may have long-term or unforeseen costs. It is similar to a number of other phrases that have been used in different languages and periods of history. Its origin is somewhat difficult to ascertain, though there are at least two different stories.

One of the most common uses of the phrase “cutting off the nose to spite the face” is as a warning, usually directed toward someone in the form of “Doing that would be like cutting off your nose to spite your face.” Though the wording of the phrase may be somewhat stiff, the meaning can be determined simply by looking at the phrase itself. Someone who is “cutting off the nose to spite the face” would be removing his or her nose as an act of vengeance toward his or her face. While this may displease a face, which is personified with human emotions in this saying, it would also remove the person’s nose.

This literal examination of the phrase reveals its meaning quite simply. The phrase describes an action that may lead to initial or short-term satisfaction, which has long-term or inevitable consequences that should be considered. An example could include someone who is angry at his or her spouse and decides to burn down their house as a way of destroying that other person's possessions. Since the house belongs to both of them, however, the person would also be doing harm to his or her own possessions as well.

The origins of the phrase “cutting off the nose to spite the face” are somewhat uncertain and two different stories explain its genesis. One story, that seems fairly apocryphal, claims that a group of nuns, led by Saint Ebba, were in danger of attack by rampaging Vikings in the 9th century. To preserve their chastity, legend holds that Saint Ebba cut off her nose to become unappealing to the Vikings, and instructed the other nuns at the monastery to do so as well. This story often indicates that the self-mutilation was successful and that the Vikings did not violate the nuns, but that the Vikings burnt down their monastery as an expression of their disgust.

A somewhat more likely source for the phrase holds that it is of Latin origin, and made its way into French usage in the 12th century. It may have been said in the 17th century to King Henry IV, who was going to destroy Paris as a way to punish the Parisians who disapproved of his rule at the time. In response to this, it is said that one of the king’s courtiers told him that doing so would be like “cutting off the nose to spite the face” and the king assented.