one step forward, two steps back
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Derived from the idiom "two steps forward, one step back", which originates with an anecdote about a frog in a well. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.
Noun
[edit]one step forward, two steps back
- (idiomatic) A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.
- We got all the roofing removed, but the chimney was damaged and we discovered that some rafters had to be replaced. One step forward, two steps back. Or maybe three.