English

Verb

throw cold water on

1. (idiomatic, of a suggestion, idea, emotion, achievement, etc.) To belittle or dismiss; to cast doubt upon; to debunk.
   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, ch. 53,

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

   • 1904, Edward Stratemeyer, The Rover Boys in Camp, ch. 7,

     "Now, Peleg, don't throw cold water on my enthusiasm," said Tom reproachfully.

   • 2008, Don Walker, "Forget the wind chill. How 'bout that windfall?," Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, 14 Jan. (retrieved 8 July 2008),

     Sports economists tend to throw cold water on such studies, saying they often rely on unreliable or exaggerated data.

Translations

Synonyms

• pour cold water on