Save Face 1100 Words Save Face 1100 Words avoid humiliation or disgrace, to try to protect one’s reputation in the face of problems, avoid embarrassment: “Never take a person’s dignity: It’s worth everything to them, and nothing to you,” states Frank Barron, professor of psychology. Preserving one’s dignity is the implied meaning in the expression, “to …
Wash Dirty Linen in Public Wash Dirty Linen in Public to openly discuss something embarrassing in public, to discuss public affairs, spill the beans, reveal secret affairs, reveal personal and private matters openly, show one’s hand: The information on the schooling system confirmed an established pattern in the republic by which the authorities – at …
Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve to reveal your true feelings evidently, show your feelings, put one’s cards on the table, lay one’s cards on the table: With Maurine it hadn’t been any way she had dressed, though; and back then girls scarcely wore any make-up, only a little …
Sow One’s Wild Oats 1100 Words Sow One’s Wild Oats 1100 Words (of a man) to manage to have sexual relationships with so many women, especially while he is young, to lead a wild and carefree life: There is a saying: “If you sow wild oats for six days, pray for crop failure on day …
Fair-weather Friend 1100 Words Fair-weather Friend 1100 Words /ˌfeə.weð.əˈfrend/ (idiom) someone who wants to be your friend when things are going well, unreliable friend, someone who stops being your friend in the face of problems, disloyal or dishonest friend: If you decide to stay friends with a fair-weather friend, you must let go of your …
Feather One’s Nest 1100 Words Feather One’s Nest 1100 Words to selfishly provide oneself with financial benefits through dishonest methods and exploiting others, to enrich oneself by exerting influence or misusing other people’s money, exploit, take advantage of, abuse, misuse, manipulate, play on: The vice president of the company could feather his nest by exploiting …
Tilt at Windmills 1100 Words Tilt at Windmills 1100 Words Attack imaginary enemies, with allusion to the story of Don Quixote, tilting at windmills, believing they were giants, to waste time and energy attacking an unreal or imaginary enemy: The vice president told the committee, “We are really on your side, and if you fight …
Show One’s Hand 1100 Words Show One’s Hand 1100 Words to reveal one’s intentions, make your decision or intentions clear, allow people to know about your true intentions after you’ve concealed them, let the cat out of the bag, spill the beans, confess: As a naive person, I should eat humble pie and admit that …
Call someone on the carpet Call someone on the carpet To criticize and censure somebody severely, castigate, reprimand, reprove, disparage, find fault with, scold, chastise, tell off, chide, lecture, rebuke: The mother called the child on the carpet for entering a stranger’s car. Antonyms admire, extol, praise, commend, compliment
Pay the Piper 1100 Words Pay the Piper 1100 Words to bear the consequences, face the music, face up to your actions, face the storm, bite the bullet, take the flak, take the heat, grasp the needle, accept responsibility: As the factory night watchman, you ought to be genuinely vigilant; otherwise, if any problem arises, …