laundry

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a laundry list of (something)

A very lengthy, thorough list of items. The new political coalition has issued a laundry list of demands for the prime minister ahead of the referendum. I have a laundry list of projects I need to get done before Friday. The senator began the hearing by reading a laundry list of accusations for nearly 30 minutes!

air (one's) dirty laundry in public

To discuss very private, personal matters, especially that which may be embarrassing, in public or with other people. It always makes me uncomfortable when John starts going into all his personal problems whenever our friends get together. I just wish he wouldn't air his dirty laundry in public like that. People have an unnatural fixation on the personal lives of celebrities, but I don't see why they should be expected to air their dirty laundry in public.

dirty laundry

One's very private, personal matters, especially that which may be embarrassing. It always makes me uncomfortable when John starts going into all his personal problems whenever our friends get together. I just wish he wouldn't air his dirty laundry in public like that. People have an unnatural fixation on the personal lives of celebrities, but I don't see why they should be expected to wash their dirty laundry in public.

dirty linen

One's personal, intimate, or private matters or secrets, especially that which may be embarrassing if made public. From the expression "don't wash/air your dirty linen in public." Those who consider running for public office must be aware that their dirty linen is likely to be exposed to the public. David is such a gossip, always talking about other people's dirty linen.

in the laundry

Waiting to be washed. Aw man, I forgot that my favorite sweatshirt is in the laundry—I guess I'll have to wear this one instead.

wash (one's) dirty laundry in public

To discuss very private, personal matters, especially that which may be embarrassing, in public or with other people. It always makes me uncomfortable when John starts going into all his personal problems whenever our friends get together. I just wish he wouldn't wash his dirty laundry in public like that. People have an unnatural fixation on the personal lives of celebrities, but I don't see why they should be expected to wash their dirty laundry in public.

in the laundry

with the clothes that are waiting to be washed. Is my blue shirt clean or is it in the laundry? All my socks are in the laundry. What shall I do?

someone's dirty laundry

Fig. someone's unpleasant secrets. I don't want to hear about her dirty laundry. Why do you feel it necessary to gossip about things like this?

wash one's dirty linen in public

Also air one's dirty linen or laundry . Expose private matters to public view, especially unsavory secrets. These metaphors are reworkings of a French proverb, Il faut laver son linge sale en famille ("One should wash one's dirty linen at home"), which was quoted by Napoleon on his return from Elba (1815). It was first recorded in English in 1867.

See also: dirty, linen, public, wash

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.

wash your dirty linen in public

mainly BRITISH or

wash your dirty laundry in public

mainly BRITISH or

air your dirty linen in public

mainly AMERICAN or

air your dirty laundry in public

mainly AMERICAN

COMMON If someone washes their dirty linen in public or washes their dirty laundry in public, they talk publicly about unpleasant matters that should be private. We shouldn't wash our dirty laundry in public and if I was in his position, I'd say nothing at all. She thinks she can score points by airing the family's dirty linen in public. Note: There are many other variations of this expression. For example, you can leave out `in public' or `dirty'. In Spain, it seems, airing dirty linen is considered more serious than any offence itself. My brother has washed that linen in public and embarrassed me. Note: You can also just talk about dirty linen or dirty laundry to mean unpleasant facts that should remain private. We know much more than we ever did before about the doings of Congressmen. So, we're seeing more dirty laundry. It is certainly a huge disadvantage of being famous that everyone wants to see your dirty linen.

See also: dirty, linen, public, wash

a laundry list

mainly AMERICAN

COMMON A laundry list is a long list of things, especially things you need or want. The president then went through a laundry list of proposals. This document is expected to set out a laundry list of reasons why shareholders should reject the bid.

wash your dirty linen in public

discuss or argue about your personal affairs in public.

This expression dates from the early 19th century in English; a similar French expression about linge sale is attributed to Napoleon.

See also: dirty, linen, public, wash

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

wash your dirty linen in ˈpublic

(British English, disapproving) talk or write about unpleasant or embarrassing private difficulties in public: Nobody must mention these problems at the meeting. I don’t want our dirty linen washed in public.

In this idiom, linen refers to clothes, especially underwear.

See also: dirty, linen, public, wash

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

dirty linen

and dirty laundry

n. scandal; unpleasant private matters. I wish you wouldn’t put our dirty linen out for everyone to see. She seems always to drag out her dirty linen whenever possible.

dirty laundry

verb

See dirty linen

See also: dirty, laundry

See also:

References in periodicals archive ?

It provides current and future outlook for key sectors, including commercial laundries and major and minor on-premises laundries (OPLs).

SPOT ON! KLINE LOOKS AT LAUNDRY CHEMICALS

* Distinguishing between regular service prices and quick service prices As for the distinction between the prices and terms for a regular service as opposed to an urgent service, the initiative compels laundries to announce the service delivery period and distinguish between normal and urgent deadlines and their prices.

MEC initiative to regulate laundry services in Qatar

Al Ain Municipality has been revamping the rules and regulations since 2008 to streamline laundries and has issued compliance warnings.

Health Department cracks down on unhygienic laundries in Al Ain

"Now I can't find other workers to run the laundry and I can't pay the rent while it is closed." Many people here are disappointed that the laundries are going to close down.

Laundries close as deadline nears

Records were available to investigators for eight of the 10 laundries that were probed.

Irish Government Involved in Magdalene Laundry Forced Labour Scandal

Edmondson complained that some of the the competition was unfair, particularly the industrial laundries run by church and religious orders to rescue "fallen woman." Readers of the ILS familiar with the recent expose of the Magdalen laundries are aware of workers' conditions in such institutions, but Hearn's data on the difference between the time spent in the lay Protestant-run facilities, a limited time (usually nine month to two years) before they were placed in service or assisted to emigrate and the Magdalen asylums run by Catholic religious where the workers often stayed for their entire lives living as lower caste lay sisters are telling.

More than a laundry list

The laundries have been brought to the screen in the fictionalized film The Magdalene Sisters The film, released in Europe last September to the wide condemnation of the Vatican and the United States based Catholic League as anti-Catholic, follows four years in the lives of three young inmates at the laundries in the 1960s.

Few clean hands in these laundries: film denounced by Vatican

MOHUN situates the history of steam laundries in the broader context of gender constructions, especially those relating to technology, for, as she argues, "gender is important in shaping technology and technology in shaping gender." (6) She traces the move of laundry from the late 19th century to the mid-20th, from the hand wash in the home, to the mechanization of the laundries, and back to the home with electric washing machines.

Steam Laundries: Gender, Technology, and Work in the United States and Great Britain, 1880-1940. (Reviews/Comptes Rendus)

(Some localities require that a wall separate these areas in health care laundries.)

A new spin on an old issue

laundries that serve some 36,000 inpatients every day.

Agency Faults Laundry Service

Laundries are one of the most overlooked harbors for diseases and various other health hazards.

Tighter monitoring of laundries sought

Prior to working in five star hotel Laundries, Venkat obtained an academic back ground in the textile industry.

HOTELIER AWARDS 2012: Laundry manager finalists

Abu Dhabi While many laundries and dry cleaners across the capital are looking at ways to expand their businesses, numerous others are shutting down as a result of municipal regulations for the industry.

Several Abu Dhabi laundries face closure due to new rules

With that in mind, many workplaces--especially on-premise laundries, such as those found in long-term care and assisted living facilities--are placing a renewed focus on the goal of ergonomics; i.e., fitting the job to the worker.

An ergonomic look at facility laundry rooms: Kim Shady offers advice on creating a safe and employee-friendly laundry through ergonomics