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dish
you can dish it out, but you can't take it
You can voice harsh thoughts, criticisms, or insults toward others, but you do not like when someone else does the same to you. You were all over your sister about her eating habits, but you start pouting when I point out that you had a cupcake for dinner last night! What, you can dish it out, but you can't take it?
dish on someone
Sl. to gossip about or slander someone. Stop dishing on her. She never hurt you! They spent an hour dishing on Wally.
dish something out
1. Lit. to serve up food to people. I'll dish it out, and you take it to the table. Careful how you dish out the mashed potatoes. There may not be enough.
2. Fig. to distribute information, news, etc. The press secretaries were dishing reports out as fast as they could write them. The company dishes out propaganda on a regular basis.
3. Fig. to give out trouble, scoldings, criticism, etc. The boss was dishing criticism out this morning, and I really got it. The teacher dished out a scolding to each one who was involved in the prank.
dish the dirt
Sl. to spread gossip; to gossip. Let's sit down, have a drink, and dish the dirt. David goes down to the tavern to dish the dirt.
do the dishes
to wash the dishes; to wash and dry the dishes, knives, forks, glasses, etc., after a meal. Bill, you cannot go out and play until you've done the dishes. Why am I always the one who has to do the dishes?
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Prov. It is very satisfying to get revenge a long time after the event for which you want revenge. I don't mind waiting to get revenge on Greg; I'll wait ten years if I have to. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
dish the dirt (on somebody/something)
to talk about other people without worrying about being truthful E-mail us and dish the dirt on anyone – husbands, kids, whoever. Did you know that now astronauts can dish the dirt from space?
Related vocabulary: dish out somethingEtymology: based on the phrase dish out food (to serve food ) and dirt (negative information about a person)
dish out something
to give something too freely and in large amounts
The mayor was famous for dishing out political favors to his pals. Usage notes: often it is criticism or unfriendly remarks that are dished out: She dished out insults as easily as some of us dish out praise. sometimes appears as the full expression you can dish it out but you can't take it (you can give criticism freely but you cannot deal with it yourself): I try not to argue with him because I know he can dish it out but he can't take it.
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of dish out food (to serve food)
dish the dirt
(informal) to tell people unpleasant or shocking personal information about someone (often + on ) Shauna agreed to dish the dirt on her millionaire ex-lover for a fee of ￡5,000. Some journalists just enjoy dishing the dirt.
dish out
1. Deal out, dispense, as in He dishes out advice to one and all. This expression alludes to serving food from a dish. ] Colloquial; first half of 1600s]
2. dish it out. Dispense abuse or punishment, as in He can dish it out with the best of them, but he can't take it. [Slang; c. 1930]
dish the dirt
Spread gossip or scandal, as in Sally was notorious for dishing the dirt. [Slang; 1920s]
do the dishes
Wash the plates, glasses, and silverware used at a meal. For example, If you walk the dog, I'll do the dishes.
dish out
v.1. To distribute some food from a container: The hosts dished out lots of steaming vegetables to the dinner guests. Could you dish the soup out while I pour the drinks?
2. To distribute something: The company dished out some $10 million in bribes. We made copies of our performance and dished them out to our friends.
dish
1. n. a good-looking woman. Now there’s a good-looking dish.
2. tv. to criticize someone or something; to spread gossip about someone or something. (see also
dis(s).)
The critics all dished the opening of the play mercilessly. dish something out
1. tv. to serve up food to people. (Standard English.) I’ll dish it out, and you take it to the table.
2. tv. to distribute information, news, etc. The press secretaries were dishing reports out as fast as they could write them.
3. tv. to give out trouble, scoldings, criticism, etc. The boss was dishing criticism out this morning, and I really got it.
dish the dirt
tv. to spread gossip; to gossip. Let’s sit down, have a drink, and dish the dirt.
dish it out
Slang To deal out criticism or abuse.