Meaning
What does Don’t Bite The Hand That Feeds You mean?
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you is a proverbial expression, meaning that if one person depends on another person, then he shouldn’t disrespect or criticize that individual.
Also, there is another interpretation for the term, which states that it is in your best interest to take care of those who take care of you.
Origin
What's the origin of Don’t Bite The Hand That Feeds You?
The roots of this idiom traces back all the way to World War 1, when musicians Jimmie Morgan and Thomas Hoier composed and wrote the song called “Don’t bite the hand that’s feeding you”.
The song was later published by Leo Feist in 1915, New York.
Since then, the expression is being used worldwide, even though its initial goal was to convince immigrants to stay loyal to the United States during World War 1.
Spread & Usage
How did Don’t Bite The Hand That Feeds You spread?
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you is a widespread term, used by numerous countries and cultures.
You can also run into this expression online, featured in various memes and jokes – like jokes about mosquitoes.
There is a scene in the 1995 movie Dead Presidents where the evil character, Skip (portrayed by Chris Tucker) uses the term to refer to the protagonist Anthony Curtis (portrayed by Larenz Tate).