“Move the goalposts” is a sports metaphor for unfairly changing the rules or target after a process has begun. Cambridge marks the idiom informal/disapproving; specialist archival research reports a figurative 1924 parliamentary example, far earlier than some later-popularity accounts.
ReviewedEvidence2 sourcesSectionPhrases & Idioms
Quick answer
It means to change rules, requirements, or targets during a process, usually in a way that makes success harder or unfair.
Key details
Core Meaningchange the rules/target during a process to make success harder
“The ball is in your court” means that the next action, response, or decision is now someone’s responsibility. The tennis metaphor is transparent, but the engine keeps that explanatory source image separate from any unsupported claim about a single inventor or exact first figurative use.
“Jump the gun” means acting prematurely. Phrase Finder reports an athletic predecessor, “beating the pistol,” in 1905 and a figurative “jump the gun” example in 1921; the engine records those as stages rather than claiming the 1921 citation proves the phrase was invented then.
A “change of heart” means changing your opinion or feelings about something. The guide establishes the present-day idiom and does not invent an exact coinage or first-use account.
“A slap on the wrist” is an informal idiom for a mild warning or punishment. It is usually figurative and can carry the implication that the consequence was light compared with what was expected or deserved. This guide does not attach an unsupported origin chronology.
“A taste of your own medicine” refers to treating someone in the same unpleasant way that they have treated others. Cambridge records both “dose” and “taste” in the established expression. This guide limits the page to current form and meaning and does not add an unsupported origin story.
Use “acid test” for a test or standard that reveals whether something really has the claimed quality, value, or success. The guide stays with current documented meaning and does not assert unsupported origin chronology.
“Actions speak louder than words” emphasizes conduct over verbal claims: actions can reveal intentions and feelings more clearly than words alone. This guide publishes the current saying and meaning without adding an unsupported exact-origin claim.
