pour cold water on

1. Also, throw cold water on. Discourage or deter, as in Cutting my year-end bonus poured cold water on my loyalty to the company, or Hearing about the outbreak of cholera threw cold water on our plans to visit Bolivia. This term, with its image of putting out a fire with water, at one time meant “defame” or “slander”; the modern meaning dates from about 1800.

Example Sentences

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to pour cold water on the idea that the U.S. would compromise on Taiwan in remarks to reporters earlier this week.

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At the same defense ministry meeting, Putin poured cold water on the idea and said the West was scaring its own population with fears that Russia was ready to attack.

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But Peskov poured cold water on the idea, saying it was "premature" for the two presidents to meet.

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I also always bring a bandanna to help evade the dust and I will pour cold water on it on a hot day and wrap it around my neck to cool off.

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From the get-go, newspapers here have been pouring cold water on Paris 2024.

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