what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive

Questions

What does what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive mean?

When one tells a simple lie, it may become necessary to tell more complex lies, eventually spiraling out of control and leading to the exposure of the deceit.

Where does what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive come from?

Attributed to canto 6, stanza 17 in the poem Marmion (1808) by Sir Walter Scott: "O what a tangled web we weave/ When first we practice to deceive"

How to pronounce what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive

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