reject
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meals rejected by Ethiopians
A false, humorous expansion of the initialism MRE, which actually stands for "meal ready to eat," a (typically military) food ration pack that requires no further preparation. The joke is that the food is so unpleasant that even someone who is starving would reject it. The association of Ethiopians with starvation could be considered offensive. After 12 long months eating meals rejected by Ethiopians, I'm ready to get back to home-cooked meals.
meals rejected by the enemy
A false, humorous expansion of the initialism MRE, which actually stands for "meal ready to eat" (a military ration pack that requires no further preparation). The joke is that the food is so unpleasant that it had been discarded by the enemy before being repackaged for one's own consumption. After 12 long months eating meals rejected by the enemy, I'm ready to get back to home-cooked meals in my own home.
reject (someone or something) out of hand
1. To dismiss, deny, or refuse someone or something immediately and without due discussion or consideration. She's so stubborn that she just rejected my suggestion out of hand. We'd like to try some alternative treatments. They're a bit unconventional, but please don't reject them out of hand. The company rejected me out of hand because I didn't have any prior experience as a baker.
2. To refuse to accept someone as a friend, relative, or loved one without due discussion or consideration. My grandmother rejected me out of hand when I came out as gay. If someone rejects you out of hand as their friend just because of what you believe in, then that person wasn't a real friend to begin with.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
reject someone or something out of hand
to reject someone or something without any thought or study. Fred is so contrary that they rejected him out of hand when his name came up for a committee position.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
meals rejected by Ethiopians
n. military rations, MRE = meal ready to eat. (Cruelly designated at a time when Ethiopians where starving to death. Implying that not even starving humans would eat MREs. That said, it is also known that such rations have been rejected by hungry people who desire more familiar food.) The reporter was embarrassed to describe the MREs as “meals rejected by Ethiopians.”
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.