The idiom "Don't shit/defecate where you eat" means:
One should not cause trouble in a place, group, or situation in which
one regularly finds oneself.
[Wiktionary]
I always understood what it literally means is you should not make a trouble in a place you regard as the most important place in your life.
If you watch this clip of the Big Bang Theory, it sounds like I don't understand the meaning of the idiom 100%.
Questions:
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When did this idiom become popular? The word used in the idiom is not pleasant and I wonder when and how people started to use this idiom. (I believe its equivalent is used in Asia)
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Is there any better replacement for it when you don't want to use the word "shit/defecate"?
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Is Amy (the female) telling the truth or is it just a joke when she said "don't have a romantic relationship in the workplace." I don't see a strong correlation between the idiom and the romantic relationship in the workplace.
Best Answer
I don’t know about the history of it, but yes, it often means “don’t have a romantic relationship in the workplace”.
Alternatives without shit:
“Don’t soil your own nest”—true to the original, and not crude.
“Don’t dip your pen in company ink”—this seems more male-focused.
“Don’t get your meat where you get your bread”—neutral, but still a little crude. It uses meat as a euphemism for sex/romance, and bread as an idiom for money.
“Don’t get your sugar and your bread at the same store”—neutral, and more innocent. Sugar is sometimes used as a euphemism for love, romance, or kisses.