a bad workman always blames his tools
This proverb underscores the tendency of incompetent individuals to attribute their failures to external factors rather than their own shortcomings.
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Definition
B2General
(informal)Someone who is unskilled often attributes their poor performance to external factors instead of their own lack of ability.
Example
- Whenever John misses a deadline, he claims his computer is too slow, proving that a bad workman always blames his tools.
B2Workplace
(informal)People who do not perform well often make excuses, blaming their tools or environment instead of their own skills.
Example
- Instead of improving his coding skills, Mark blamed the software, showing that a bad workman always blames his tools.