pull the ladder up after oneself

English

Verb

pull the ladder up after oneself (third-person singular simple present pulls the ladder up after oneself, present participle pulling the ladder up after oneself, simple past and past participle pulled the ladder up after oneself)

1. (idiomatic) Alternative form of pull the ladder up behind oneself.
   • 2012 May 1, Reid Oslin, “Long-time Trustee James Cleary Dies”, in The Boston College Chronicle, Chestnut Hill, MA, page 6:

     “There are a lot of people who have achieved success, but then pulled the ladder up after them,” [John M.] Connors added.

   • 2014, Nicola Wells, "Belief To Succeed", InBUSINESS, Quarter One 2014, page 51:

     Basically if you are on the up, don't pull the ladder up after you!

   • 2018, Ciaran Staunton, quoted in "Hibernia: Quote Unquote", Irish America, June/July 2018, page 31:

     It is un-American to pull the ladder up after you; the American way is to pass it down to the next person, and silence is complicity when it comes to this.