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Rain on One's Parade

What Does "Rain on One's Parade" Mean?

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"Rain on one's parade" is an English idiom. It means "to spoil or dampen someone's excitement, joy, or celebration by bringing negative news or criticism."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "rain on one's parade" used in a sentence:
  • She didn't want to rain on his parade, but she had to deliver the bad news.
  • His pessimistic comments always seem to rain on our parade when we're excited about something.
  • The unexpected setback threatened to rain on their parade, but they remained optimistic.
meaning for rain on one's parade

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Rain on One's Parade" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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