sacar el ascua con mano ajena

Spanish

Etymology

Literally, “to take out the embers with someone else's hand”.

Verb

sacar el ascua con mano ajena (first-person singular present saco el ascua con mano ajena, first-person singular preterite saqué el ascua con mano ajena, past participle sacado el ascua con mano ajena)

1. (idiomatic) to get someone else to do one's dirty work

   Synonym: sacar el ascua con la mano del gato

Further reading

• “sacar alguien el ascua con la mano del gato, o con mano ajena”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 23rd edition, Royal Spanish Academy, 2014 October 16