APAD: He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon

He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon

‘He who sups with the Devil should have a long spoon’ is a medieval idiom that Shakespeare refers to twice in his plays.

Its literal meaning is that if you get involved with the Devil you should have the means of keeping your distance. Metaphorically, eating with the Devil is dangerous and you should do it with a long spoon so that you don’t get too close.

It’s a lovely idiom and so true – that if you begin to get involved with bad things you will most likely be drawn in, so if you have to deal with bad people you should keep your distance – be very careful not to be drawn into their bad projects. It’s a wonderful image of someone sitting far away from their sinister eating companion, making sure they don’t get too close by, using a long spoon to take their food. Sharing a meal with someone usually means you are already on quite good terms with them or that you want to get to know them better. If you agree to partake of the Devil’s hospitality, you are on dangerous ground and need to beware.