dish
slang
1. verb To gossip. Did Tom really quit? Dish, sister! Those popular girls are always dishing the dirt on someone in our class. Oh please, I know you're the one who dished about me and started those awful rumors!
2. verb To chat. Come on in, we're just sitting here dishing. I know, it's been way too long since we got together and just dished for a while. If you two have time to dish at the reception desk, you have time to file this paperwork for me.
3. noun Someone who is very attractive. Most often used in reference to females. Wow, that girl's a real dish! But she'd never go out with a dork like me. A: "Check out that dish over at the bar." B: "Whoa, she's stunning." Dude, you can't go up to a total dish like her with some corny pick-up-line and expect that to work.
dish it out
To voice harsh thoughts, criticisms, or insults. You were all over your sister about her eating habits, but you start pouting when I point out that you had a cupcake for dinner last night! What, you can only dish it out? I'm not surprised the bully backed down when you confronted him. Bullies typically can only dish it out. She's always so quick to mock you when you make a mistake, but she throws a total hissy fit when you call her out on something she's done wrong. She can dish it out, but she clearly can't take it.
dish out
1. To distribute prepared food, especially using a utensil to serve it onto or into individual dishes. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dish" and "out." We should get back to our table—the servers have started dishing out the food. Mom, do you mind dishing out some baby food for Joey? OK, kids, bring me your plates so I can dish out the spaghetti.
2. By extension, to dispense something, often verbally. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dish" and "out." Ross is better at dishing out criticism than receiving it himself. That professor is a much harder grader this semester—he must have gotten in trouble for dishing out too many A's. I'm not surprised the bully backed down when you confronted him. Bullies typically can only dish out threats.
dish out (the) dirt
slang To dispense or discuss scandalous gossip or intimate information (about someone or something). The reality television star has been wasting no time since leaving the show to dish out dirt on his former co-stars in interviews and on talk shows. Her new book dishes out the dirt about her marriage to the rock 'n' roll legend. A: "Did Tom really quit?" B: "Yes! Get over here so I can dish out the dirt!"
dish the dirt
slang To gossip about someone or something. Those popular girls are always dishing the dirt on someone in our class. I know, it's been way too long since we got together and dished the dirt. Get over here so I can dish the dirt on Tom quitting!
dish up
1. To distribute food into bowls or onto plates to serve to others. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dish" and "up." OK, everyone take your seats. I'm just about ready to start dishing up the stew! Please take the casserole out of the oven and start dishing it up. OK, kids, bring me your plates so I can dish up the spaghetti.
2. To create something for a lot of people to enjoy or consume. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dish" and "up." The movie studio is known for dishing up the same kinds of schlocky horror movies. You need to dish up a winning team in this city, or the fans will boo the players you do put out there. That comedian dishes up the same commentary on the mundane as everyone else out there—only, it's not funny.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
dish something out
1. Lit. to serve up food to people. I'll dish it out, and you take it to the table. Careful how you dish out the mashed potatoes. There may not be enough.
2. Fig. to distribute information, news, etc. The press secretaries were dishing reports out as fast as they could write them. The company dishes out propaganda on a regular basis.
3. Fig. to give out trouble, scoldings, criticism, etc. The boss was dishing criticism out this morning, and I really got it. The teacher dished out a scolding to each one who was involved in the prank.
dish the dirt
Sl. to spread gossip; to gossip. Let's sit down, have a drink, and dish the dirt. David goes down to the tavern to dish the dirt.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
dish out
1. Deal out, dispense, as in He dishes out advice to one and all. This expression alludes to serving food from a dish. ] Colloquial; first half of 1600s]
2. dish it out. Dispense abuse or punishment, as in He can dish it out with the best of them, but he can't take it. [Slang; c. 1930]
dish the dirt
Spread gossip or scandal, as in Sally was notorious for dishing the dirt. [Slang; 1920s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
dish the dirt
If one person dishes the dirt on another, they tell people unpleasant or shocking things about them. Many politicians are not above dishing the dirt on a fellow politician. In his autobiography he dishes the dirt on his buddies. Note: People sometimes describe this activity as dirt-dishing. By speaking out as he did, he has pushed up the potential value of any dirt-dishing memoirs he cares to write.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
dish the dirt
reveal or spread scandalous information or gossip. informal 1997 New Scientist We love revisionist biographies that dish the dirt on our icons.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
ˌdish the ˈdirt (on somebody)
(informal) tell people unkind or unpleasant things about somebody, especially about their private life: When the newspaper offered her £10 000, she was only too happy to dish the dirt on her friends.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
dish out
v.1. To distribute some food from a container: The hosts dished out lots of steaming vegetables to the dinner guests. Could you dish the soup out while I pour the drinks?
2. To distribute something: The company dished out some $10 million in bribes. We made copies of our performance and dished them out to our friends.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
dish
1. n. a good-looking woman. Now there’s a good-looking dish.
2. tv. to criticize someone or something; to spread gossip about someone or something. (see also
dis(s).)
The critics all dished the opening of the play mercilessly. dish the dirt
tv. to spread gossip; to gossip. Let’s sit down, have a drink, and dish the dirt.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
dish it out
Slang To deal out criticism or abuse.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.