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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

go down like a cup of cold sick en · VERB

Etymology

Refers to sick in the Commonwealth sense of vomit.

Meanings

  1. (Australia, New-Zealand, UK, slang) To be received very poorly; to be highly unpopular.
    • It wasn't quite the same in Uzbekistan. Washington muttered something about all sides in Uzbekistan showing restraint. This must have gone down like a cup of cold sick with the families of the 750 or so dead in Uzbekistan. 2006, Neil Mackay, The War on Truth, page 426:
    • 'It went down like a cup of cold sick,' he said to me, almost gleefully, tapping on his computer keyboard to try to locate a copy of the newsletter. 2019, Michelle Duff, Jacinda Ardern: The Story Behind an Extraordinary Leader:
    • Need I tell you that this last analysis went down like a cup of cold sick, waterworks turned on, hanky out, male sex maligned, wailing and gnashing of teeth, all culminating in yours truly agreeing to jump on the first Laker standby to Timbuctoo in search of Prodigal Son. 1997, Carol Thatcher, Below the Parapet, page 185:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
going down like a cup of cold sick Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
gone down like a cup of cold sick Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
goes down like a cup of cold sick Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
go down like a cup of sick alternative lexicographic
went down like a cup of cold sick Tense=Past lexicographic

Synonyms

sink like a stone · go over like a lead balloon · go over like a fart in church