Idiom
live down
Meanings
To overcome a bad reputation or embarrassment so that people stop judging you for it.
Definition
To live down something is to gradually make people forget a bad or embarrassing event by behaving well afterward.
If you live down a mistake or a scandal, you manage to overcome the bad reputation it caused. Over time, your later actions help others stop focusing on what happened. It usually takes patience, consistent good behavior, and sometimes a change in circumstances.
Examples
- It took her years to live down the rumor.
- He still can’t live down that awkward speech at the wedding.
- The team tried to live down last season’s humiliating loss.
- She worked hard to live down the mistake she made on her first day.
- You won’t live down that prank anytime soon.
More phrasal verbs
- splash out To spend a lot of money on something, often as a special treat.
- faff about To faff about means to waste time doing unimportant things instead of doing what you should be doin…
- witter on To keep talking for a long time in a boring or unfocused way.
- confide in To confide in someone means to share personal or secret information with them because you trust the…
- loosen up To relax and become less tense or strict.