- Home
- Idioms
- dose
dose
a dose of (one's) own medicine
An experience of the same harmful or unpleasant thing that one has inflicted on others; an attack in the same manner in which one attacks others. John has gossiped about everyone in our group, so we gave him a dose of his own medicine by spreading rumors about him. The coup gave the dictatorship a dose of its own medicine, subjecting the dictator and his entourage to torture and confinement in deplorable conditions.
those are the breaks
There is nothing we can do about the way things have unfolded, especially bad ones, so there is no reason to be upset about it; that's just the way things are. I'm pretty gutted about not getting into the grad school program I wanted, but hey, those are the breaks.
go (right) through someone
and go through someone like a dose of the saltsFig. [for something] to be excreted very soon after being eaten; [for something] to go immediately through the alimentary canal of a person. (Use with discretion.) No, thanks. This stuff just goes right through me. The coffee went through me like a dose of salts.
go through
to be approved; to succeed in getting through the approval process. I sent the board of directors a proposal. I hope it goes through. We all hope that the new law goes through.
go through someone
1. Lit. to travel through someone's body; to go (right) through someone. That medicine went right through me.
2. Fig. to work through someone; to use someone as an intermediary. I can't give you the permission you seek. You will have to go through our main office. I have to go through the treasurer for all expenditures.
go through someone or something
[for something sharp] to penetrate someone or something. The sword went through the knight cleanly and quickly. The nail went through all three boards.
go through something
1. to search through something. She went through his pants pockets, looking for his wallet. He spent quite a while going through his desk, looking for the papers.
2. to use up all of something rapidly. We have gone through all the aspirin again! How can you go throughyour allowance so fast?
3. [for something] to pass through an opening. The piano wouldn't go through the door. Do you think that such a big truck can go through the tunnel under the river?
4. to pass through various stages or processes. The pickles went through a number of processes before they were packed. Johnny is going through a phase where he wants everything his way.
5. to work through something, such as an explanation or story. I went through my story again, carefully and in great detail. I would like to go through it again, so I can be sure to understand it.
6. to experience or endure something. You can't believe what I've gone through. Mary has gone through a lot lately.
7. to rehearse something; to practice something for performance. They went through the second act a number of times. We need to go through the whole play a few more times.
*a taste of one's own medicine
and *a dose of one's own medicineFig. a sample of the unpleasantness that one has been giving other people. (Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) Now you see how it feels to have someone call you names! You are getting a taste of your own medicine! John, who is often rude and abrupt with people, was devastated when the teacher treated him rudely. He doesn't like having a dose of his own medicine.
go through
to be officially accepted or approved We're hoping that the proposal for the new mall won't go through.
go through somebody/something like a dose of salts
(old-fashioned) if something you eat goes through your body like a dose of salts, it goes through you very quickly Those beans went through me like a dose of salts.
See give a dose of own medicinegive somebody a dose/taste of their own medicine
to do the same bad thing to someone that they have often done to you, in order to show them how unpleasant it is She's always turning up late for me so I thought I'd give her a taste of her own medicine and see how she likes it.
in small doses
if you like someone or something in small doses, you only like them for short periods She's all right in small doses but I wouldn't want to spend a whole lot of time with her.
dose of one's own medicine
Also, taste of one's own medicine. Repayment or retaliation, as in It's time we gave them a dose of their own medicine and simply forget to call them back , or Joe was upset at being left out, but they were just giving him a taste of his own medicine . [Late 1800s]
go through
1. Examine carefully, as in I went through all the students' papers. [Mid-1600s]
2. Experience, undergo, suffer, as in We went through hell trying to find an answer. [Early 1700s]
3. Perform; also, rehearse for performance. For example, I went through the sonata in ten minutes, or Let's go through the third act again. [Mid-1700s]
4. Use up, complete, as in The children went through all the milk we bought in one day. [Mid-1900s]
5. Succeed, be approved, as in I'm sure this new deal will go through. [Late 1800s]
6. go through with. Complete, carry out, as in They got engaged last year, but I'm not sure they'll go through with the wedding. [Mid-1500s]
go through one
1. Use as an intermediary, as in
Bob can't release that; you'll have to go through the main office. Also see
go through channels.
2. Also, go right through one (like a dose of salts). Be rapidly excreted without being digested. For example, I don't know why, but Thai cooking goes right through me, or That banana drink went through Dad like a dose of salts.
go through
v.1. To move or proceed into or within something, especially completely or from one side to the other: We turned on our headlights when we went through the tunnel. The ink went through the paper and stained the table. The larger fish got caught in the net, but the smaller fish went right through. We went through the field gathering flowers.
2. To form a path within something, especially completely or from one side to the other: The tunnel goes through the mountain. Only one path goes through this forest.
3. To send a message or signal successfully: My telephone calls aren't going through. I sent two e-mails, but neither went through.
4. To use someone or something as an intermediary for interacting or communicating: All of our customers' orders go through our sales department. Don't buy a car from them—go through a reputable dealer. If you need to contact me, go through my office.
5. To proceed to the next stage of a process or event: The winner of this match will go through to the finals.
6. To be accepted or enacted after going through an approval procedure. Used of proposals: If the new law goes through, we won't be able to park on that side of the street anymore.
7. To examine each of some set of things: I went through the students' papers, looking for the best one. Someone has been going through my mail without permission.
8. To review or search something completely: The lawyer went through the documents but couldn't find any useful information. I went through the drawer trying to find the earring I lost.
9. To experience something, especially something negative: We went through some tough times when my father lost his job. All our products go through months of testing. They went through a lot to get you that gift, so you'd better thank them.
10. To perform something from start to finish: The violinist went through the sonata in 30 minutes. Let's go through the dance from the beginning.
11. To use something until there is no more of it remaining; use something up: I went through an entire pack of cigarettes in two hours. My dogs go through two bags of food a week.
12. go through with To finish something, especially something difficult or which one does not want to do: We intended to eat the rabbit once it got big enough, but after the children gave it a name, we just couldn't go through with it. I decided not to go through with the surgery after I discovered how dangerous it was.
go through someone like a dose of (the) salts
in. to move through someone’s digestive tract like a strong laxative. That stuff they served last night went through me like a dose of salts.
go through someone like a dose of salts
verb