Ask LJ

[learnedax]

Is there an expression that describes trying to take one thing and inadvertently dragging along many things attached to or entangled with that thing? I feel like there ought to be some common word or phrase for it, but nothing springs to mind.

Comments

[laurion]

Looks like you're looking for a passive verb. The active is often used metaphorically, and is 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater'. I suppose it may depend on if we are referring to the entangled items directly (in which case, drag does seem an appropriate verb), or indirectly. Accretion refers to inadvertently dragging things, but not through entanglement. Kleptomania can refer to inadvertently taking things, but not to entangled things. I think there is room here to modulate or invent a term. Maybe some variation of 'ensnaring'. Ensnagling, I think.