THROW COLD WATER ON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does throw cold water on mean? 

• THROW COLD WATER ON (verb)
  The verb THROW COLD WATER ON has 1 sense:

1. be discouraging or negative about

  Familiarity information: THROW COLD WATER ON used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• THROW COLD WATER ON (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be discouraging or negative about

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

pour cold water on; throw cold water on

Hypernyms (to "throw cold water on" is one way to...):

discourage (deprive of courage or hope; take away hope from; cause to feel discouraged)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

Oh! no; there would be a Mrs. Knightley to throw cold water on every thing.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)