to show someone the door
5
6.4
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
echar a alguien
- The manager decided to show someone the door after he repeatedly broke company policies.
- then show her the door
Examples
-
When the arguments became too heated, the host had to show her guests the door to restore peace.
-
That's when we showed him the door.
Blog text (23) -
I would be more than happy to show that bunch the door.
Blog text (28) -
It's time you showed him the door.
Fiction book (1993) -
Of the eight people who signed that warning letter to the county commissioners, Lee showed five the door.
Blog text (21) -
Instead, Larry showed you the door and said you could leave.
Blog text (31) -
MIB finally showed you the door, eh?
-
Anyone who calls himself an "originalist" and starts telling me what the Founders intended gets shown the door by me.
Blog text (11) -
We've seen players fall by the wayside, quitting or being shown the door, many times since Leach has taken over.
Blog text (32) -
After the rude comments, it was clear that the staff needed to show him the door before things escalated.
Synonyms
698
7.8
Refuse to let someone enter or stay
110
2.7
To tell people to leave a meeting or room
77
2.8
Refuse someone entry to a place or group
46
4.4
To make someone leave a job by pressure or threats
32
4.2
Force someone to leave a place
8
6.5
To make someone leave quickly to show they are not wanted
6
6.7
Tell someone to leave a place firmly
5
4.1
To make people or animals go away by waving your hand
4
7.9
Make someone leave quickly and forcefully
3
5.1
To lead someone politely out of a room or building at the end of an event
1
7.1
To force someone or something out of a place by searching
To end a relationship or job suddenly and harshly
To tell someone they have lost their job or show the truth about their situation
Antonyms
How Forceful
1
4.0
- Informal
4
7.9
- Informal
5
6.4
175
4.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally depicts guiding a person to an exit: combining 'show' (indicate/guide) with 'door' (an exit) yields the pragmatic action of sending someone out. This physical-image mapping to dismissal is straightforward and common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer the meaning.
Etymology
Show someone the door comes from the simple scene of a host or guard walking a person to the exit; the host would show them the door to make them leave. So today it means 'to ask someone to leave' or 'to dismiss' in a direct or unfriendly way.