throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick
Try the same thing often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes…Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.
Meaning
2 sensesTry the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.
If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, their reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved
Examples
12 sentencesOrigin
Possibly based on a technique of building wattle and daub walls by throwing daub (mud mixePossibly based on a technique of building wattle and daub walls by throwing daub (mud mixed with straw) at the wattle, throwing hard enough that some obtained a good key and remained in place, (compare slapdash, a pebbledash effect produced by throwing pebbles at a rendered wall). Sense 2 is probably influenced by throw dirt enough, and some will stick.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.