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to shit in someone's cereal

to shit in someone's cereal

9.9
To spoil someone's good mood or stop them enjoying something
  • idiom
  • /ʃɪt ɪn ˈsʌmˌwʌnz ˈsɪrəl/
  • Offensive
translation icon : aguarle la fiesta a alguien
  • Nothing like a surprise bill to shit in someone's cereal on a Friday afternoon.

Examples

  • I didn't mean to shit in your cereal, but I had to tell you about the layoffs.

  • Why do you always shit in my cereal after I share good news?

  • He really shitted in her cereal by criticizing her project at the meeting.

  • Don't shit in my cereal just because you're having a bad day!

  • He really shitted in her cereal by suddenly announcing the cancellation of our vacation plans.

  • I didn't mean to shit in your cereal, but I had to reveal that the concert was sold out.

  • Don't shit in my cereal just because you didn't like the way I celebrated my promotion.

Synonyms

to kill the mood
vsto shit in someone's cereal
  • Informal
5 6.2

To end a pleasant situation suddenly by saying or doing something awkward that makes people feel bad

is used more broadly for spoiling mood, not only sudden awkward disruptions
to ruin the mood
vsto shit in someone's cereal
  • Informal
3 4.1

Make people feel less happy in a situation

is the same idea but expressed in vulgar informal terms
to give someone the shits
vsto shit in someone's cereal
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To make someone very annoyed or angry

is about ruining someone's enjoyment rather than just causing irritation
to give (someone) the shits
vsto shit in someone's cereal
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To make someone very angry or upset

is milder, focusing on spoiled enjoyment rather than intense anger
to piss in someone's cornflakes
vsto shit in someone's cereal
  • Offensive
9.9

To spoil someone's good mood by being negative or critical

is the same vulgar meaning but uses another crude wording
to piss in the popcorn
vsto shit in someone's cereal
  • Offensive
9.9

To say or do something that spoils other people's enjoyment

is used generally to mean spoil mood without suddenness
to take the jam out of someone's doughnut
vsto shit in someone's cereal
  • Informal
9.9

To make someone feel disappointed or upset

is the same idea but in vulgar and blunt language
to give the shits
vsto shit in someone's cereal
  • Offensive
9.9

To make someone feel worried, angry, or very annoyed

is focused on ruining enjoyment or mood rather than causing anxiety

Antonyms

79 2.1

To please someone very much

23 3.2

To make someone feel happier and more hopeful

How Ruined

to shit in someone's cereal
  • Offensive
9.9
to ruin the mood
  • Informal
3 4.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

shit + in + someone's + cereal

The phrase creates a vivid literal image (putting feces into someone’s breakfast) that directly maps onto the idea of ruining someone’s enjoyment, so a B1 learner who knows the words would likely infer the basic sense of 'spoiling' or 'ruining' someone’s mood. However, the expression is vulgar and pragmatically metaphorical rather than a standard compositional pattern, so its precise nuance and usage are not fully predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

Shit in someone's cereal may come from the shocking image of someone finding shit in their cereal at breakfast, an awful surprise that would right away ruin the meal and the person's mood. So it now means 'to spoil someone's good mood' or 'to ruin their enjoyment'.