nothing to write home about
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nothing to write home about
Not especially impressive, remarkable, or noteworthy; rather dull, mediocre, uninteresting, or unimportant. It gets good reviews, but the new sushi restaurant is really nothing to write home about. His performance has been nothing to write home about so far. To be honest, we were expecting much more out of him when we recruited him.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
nothing to write home about
Fig. mediocre; not as good as you expected. I went to that new restaurant last night. It's nothing to write home about. Jill: I went to see a movie last night. Jane: How was it? Jill: Nothing to write home about.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
nothing to write home about
Ordinary or unremarkable, as in The restaurant was all right but nothing to write home about. This idiom originated in the late 1800s, possibly among troops stationed far from home, and became widespread during World War I.
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.
nothing to write home about
ornot much to write home about
INFORMALIf something is nothing to write home about or not much to write home about, it is not very interesting, exciting, or special. The house was nothing to write home about — a rather neglected Victorian semi-detached like many they'd seen. The nightlife is not much to write home about. Note: You can also say that a thing is something to write home about if it is interesting, exciting, or special. The beaches really are something to write home about.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
nothing to write home about
of little interest or value. informal 1970 Nina Bawden The Birds on the Trees I daresay what I did was nothing to write home about, but it put food in her belly and shoes on her feet!
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
nothing to write home about
n. something small or inconsequential. I got a little bit of a raise this year, but it was nothing to write home about.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
nothing to write home about
Unremarkable and ordinary. This term became common in the late nineteenth century, probably originating among troops stationed overseas. G. D. H. Cole used it in The Man from the River (1928): “He was . . . bleeding a bit, but nothing to write home about.” Another example is, “Ross won, Julie lost, neither of them enough to write home about” (June Drummond, Junta, 1989).
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer