to send to the showers

1 8.5

Make a player leave the game because they broke the rules

idiom

Jargon

: enviar a los vestuarios

The coach had to send two players to the showers for breaking the team's rules during the game.

Examples

When the pitcher threw an illegal pitch, the umpire sent him to the showers immediately.
Send 'em to the showers.

Brewster's Millions (1985)
But hit after hit from the Padres' bats sent McDonald to the showers early.

Blog text (4)
The referee decided to send the player to the showers after he received a second yellow card.

Synonyms

to send away

vsto send to the showers

43 3.0

Make someone leave a job or group because of a problem

removes a player from a game because of a violation or mistake

to put out

vsto send to the showers

Jargon

13 7.3

Cause a player to be out in a game like baseball

removes a player specifically for a violation or mistake

to retire

vsto send to the showers

Jargon

7 5.2

Cause a player or team to end their turn after a play

removes a player because of a violation or error during the game

to get an early bath

vsto send to the showers

Slang

9.4

To have to leave a job early because of a mistake or failure

removes a player during a game for a mistake or rule breach

Antonyms

to stay on

111 3.4

To remain in a place or job after others leave

to play out

18 3.0

To continue a game or match until it ends

How Dismissive

to expel

194 5.0

to eject

32 4.2

to send to the showers

Jargon

1 8.5

to bench

Informal

31 5.5

substitute

211 3.2

Surface Forms

send to the showers infinitive

sending to the showers present participle

sends to the showers third person singular

sent to the showers past

sent to the showers past participle

Morphology

send + to + the + showers

Although the literal parts ('send' + 'showers') evoke being sent to wash, the specific sports meaning 'dismiss a player from the game' is a conventionalized, register‑specific usage that a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words is unlikely to predict reliably. The expression is partly motivated by the literal image (being sent to the locker‑room showers) but requires cultural/sports knowledge, so it is not fully transparent.

Etymology

Send to the showers comes from team sports where a player who is taken out of the game would go back to the locker room and take showers while the game continues. So the phrase means 'to dismiss someone from a game' or 'make them leave the field'.