be stinking rich
To have a lot of money. The term is usually disparaging. I can't believe it—that guy's stinking rich but won't give a dime to charity. We'll be stinking rich if we can market these to the right audience. The people on that side of town are stinking rich and don't care a bit about our problems over here.
cry stinking fish
To undermine one's own efforts; to put oneself down. A reference to fishmongers, who would find little business if they proclaimed their fish smelled bad. Primarily heard in UK. A: "And I'm awful at doing reports." B: "Come on, buddy, don't cry stinking fish! You're so talented and have so much to offer the company—don't put yourself down!" Don't cry stinking fish when you and I both know you're perfect for the job. I know you're overwhelmed and scared, but there's no need to cry stinking fish—you'll do great at an Ivy League school!
don't cry stinking fish
Don't undermine your own efforts or put yourself down. A reference to fishmongers, who would find little business if they proclaimed their fish smelled bad. Primarily heard in UK. A: "And I'm awful at doing reports." B: "Come on, buddy, don't cry stinking fish! You're so talented and have so much to offer the company—don't put yourself down!" Don't cry stinking fish when you and I both know you're perfect for the job. I know you're overwhelmed and scared, but don't cry stinking fish—you'll do great at an Ivy League school!
stink
1. noun, slang A great fuss or ruckus; a lot of trouble. Used especially in the phrase "make/raise a stink" or similar variations. My mom raised a stink when the store refused to accept her return without a receipt. One of the customers is making a stink about the service charge we included on his bill.
2. noun, slang Something scandalous, controversial, or especially unpleasant. The stink of his association with the corrupt company continues to follow him to this day. He knew it was just a matter of time before the stink surrounding him caught the attention of the authorities.
3. verb, slang To be especially bad, abhorrent, or inferior in quality. Your plan stinks, Tom! There's no way it would work! The timing of this audit just really stinks. The first film was an overlooked classic, but the two sequels both stink.
4. verb, slang To be or seem extremely disreputable, suspicious, or corrupt. This deal between the company and the mayor's office stinks, if you ask me. I'd be willing to bet that someone's pocket is being lined. This city stank to high heaven before I came in and brought some law and order to it.
stink of (something)
1. To smell very potently of something unpleasant. My hands always stink of garlic after I have to chop it up. He came down for his prom stinking of his dad's aftershave. The house stinks of wet dog—open the window!
2. To have a lot of or give the strong impression of something particularly unpleasant, offensive, or insidious. The deal struck by the government and the corporate lobbying groups stinks of corruption. The verdict of the trial stinks of prejudice. Their family positively stinks of money.
stink on ice
To be exceptionally rotten, repulsive, or poor. From the idea of meat stinking with rot even when kept cold on ice. This is a travesty for everyone involved. The whole situation just stinks on ice. I knew the plan stank on ice the moment the boss began describing it.
stink out
1. To fill something with an overpowering smell, especially a bad one. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "stink" and "out." Please don't stink out my car with your nasty cigarettes! We really stank the room out working with those noxious chemicals.
2. To cause someone to leave or flee (some place or thing) due to an overpowering stench. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "stink" and "out." The nest of skunks beneath our porch stank us out of our house for nearly a week.
3. To perform very poorly, especially in sports. They started out strong, but then they really stank out the place in the second half.
stink to high heaven
1. To have a very strong, unpleasant odor. Can you take this trash out? It stinks to high heaven. Ugh, something in this refrigerator stinks to high heaven!
2. To be or seem extremely disreputable, suspicious, or corrupt. This deal between the company and the mayor's office stinks to high heaven, if you ask me. This town stank to high heaven before I came in and brought some law and order to it.
stink up
1. To fill something or some place with a foul odor. A noun or pronoun can be used between "stink" and "up." Tom, your tuna sandwich is stinking up the office! Please go eat it somewhere else! Please don't stink the house up with your smoking—if you have to do it, go outside.
2. To give a very poor or poorly received performance in some location. A noun or pronoun can be used between "stink" and "up." Hopefully this awful play won't be stinking up theaters for much longer. I've never seen them play so poorly. They're really stinking the place up tonight.
stink with (something)
1. To smell very potently of something unpleasant. My hands always stink with garlic after I have to chop it up. He came down for his school dance stinking with aftershave. The house stinks with wet dog—open the window!
2. To have an excessive or obscene amount of something; to be rife with something. Their family positively stinks with money. This city has been stinking with corruption for years.
stinking drunk
Extremely drunk; so drunk that one stinks of alcohol. If you're going to keep coming home stinking drunk each night, then you can just find somewhere else to live! We all ended up getting stinking drunk on cheap vodka.
stinking rich
Extremely wealthy. Their family is stinking rich, so they can afford to go on such extravagant vacations every year. Janet got stinking rich off her investments.
We don't need no stinkin' (something)!
Used humorously to emphasize that one absolutely does not need something. Popularized in the 1974 film Blazing Saddles as "Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!," parodying a similar line in the 1948 film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and the 1927 novel on which it's based. What do you want to go to college for? You don't need no stinkin' college degree! Just get a job as a mechanic like your old man here! A: "How can people deny something that is a scientific fact?" B: "Seriously! People are like, 'Science? We don't need no stinkin' science!'"
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.