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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

throw cold water on en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /θɹəʊ kɔʊld ˈwɔːtə(ɹ)ɒn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /θɹoʊ koʊld ˈwɔtɚ ɑn/ (General-American)
  • /θɹoʊ koʊld ˈwɔɾɚ ɑn/ (General-American)
  • /θɹəʊ kəʊld ˈwɔːtə(ɹ)ɒn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • (Australia) audio

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, transitive) (of an achievement, emotion, idea, suggestion, etc.) To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.
    • Oh! no; there would be a Mrs. Knightley to throw cold water on every thing.—Extremely disagreeable! 1815 December 23, [Jane Austen], chapter XVII, in Emma: A Novel. In Three Volumes, volume III, London: Printed for John Murray, published 1816, →OCLC, page 329:
    • Sports economists tend to throw cold water on such studies, saying they often rely on unreliable or exaggerated data. 2008 January 15, Don Walker, “Forget the wind chill. How 'bout that windfall?: With the Packers' season in double overtime, Brown County businesses are seeing green”, in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, Wis.: Journal Sentinel, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Mar 2016:
    • "Now, Peleg, don't throw cold water on my enthusiasm," said Tom reproachfully. 1904, Arthur M. Winfield (Edward Stratemeyer), “Something about the Military Academy”, in The Rover Boys in Camp: or The Rivals of Pine Island (Famous Rover Boys' Series), New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC, page 49:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
threw cold water on Tense=Past lexicographic
thrown cold water on Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
throwing cold water on Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
throws cold water on Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Relateds

rain on someone's parade

Synonyms

pour cold water on

Translations (10)

cmn 潑冷水 /泼冷水 (to belittle or dismiss) · pt jogar um balde de água fria (to belittle or dismiss) · fi tyrmätä (to belittle or dismiss) · gl tirar auga fría sobre (to belittle or dismiss) · pl mieć negatywne podejście (to belittle or dismiss) · yue 潑冷水 /泼冷水 (to belittle or dismiss) · cpx 攙凊水 /搀凊水 (to belittle or dismiss) · ko 찬물을 끼얹다 (to belittle or dismiss) · fi kaataa kylmää vettä niskaan (to belittle or dismiss) · cpx 灑凊水 /洒凊水 (to belittle or dismiss)