visit on

visit (something) on (one)

To cause or force one to undergo or experience some punishment, misfortune, or burden. Often used in passive constructions. The financial crash visited utter ruin on the economies of countries around the world. The villagers believed a curse had been visited on them by a traveler who had passed through a week prior.

See also: on, visit

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

visit something (up)on someone

Fig. to inflict something upon someone. (Stilted. Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) The FBI visited a plague of investigations on the mayor's staff. The storm visited disaster on the little village.

See also: on, visit

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

visit on

or visit upon

v.

To inflict something punishing or burdensome on someone or something. Used chiefly in the passive: A plague was visited on the village.

See also: on, visit

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.