dog in the manger
📖 generalMeaning
Someone who selfishly prevents others from using or enjoying something that they themselves have no use for.
Literal Meaning
A dog lying in a manger (a feeding trough for farm animals) and preventing the animals from eating the hay, even though the dog cannot eat hay itself.
Example
“He's acting like a dog in the manger, refusing to let anyone use the old equipment even though he never uses it himself.”