turd in the punchbowl
1
9.9
- idiom
- Offensive
:
jodedor
- I've been to medical meetings where I questioned where some guy got off declaring socialism as the only proper ethical response to the healthcare problem, and it was soon clear I was a turd in the punchbowl.
Examples
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His rude behavior at the wedding was a real turd in the punchbowl for everyone trying to enjoy the celebration.
-
During the meeting, her negative comments felt like a turd in the punchbowl, ruining the positive atmosphere.
-
When he loudly criticized the speaker, it was like putting a turd in the punchbowl of an otherwise enjoyable event.
Synonyms
21
7.9
A person who spoils fun for others
16
6.4
A person who ruins other people's fun at a party
Antonyms
How Disruptive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly predictable from the literal parts: a 'turd' (something disgusting) placed 'in the punchbowl' (a shared festive container) clearly evokes contamination or spoiling of a social event. Despite its slangy/vulgar tone, the compositional image maps transparently onto the figurative sense of someone or something that ruins an otherwise pleasant situation, so a B1 learner who knows the words and basic party conventions would likely infer the meaning.
Etymology
Turd in the punchbowl comes from the image of a nice bowl of party punch ruined when someone drops a turd into the punchbowl, making everyone uncomfortable. So, it means something or someone that 'spoils the mood' at a gathering.