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Phrase(s): As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined.
Prov. A grown person will act the way he or she was taught to act as a child. • Alice’s parents thought it was cute when she threw tantrums, and you’ll notice that she still throws tantrums now that she’s grown up. As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined. • Don’t encourage your son to be so greedy. As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs