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drain
circle the drain
To be in a state of severe deterioration such that one is approaching inevitable ruin, failure, or death. Usually used in the continuous form. The company's closure was inevitable, as it has been circling the drain for the last six months. Her political career began to circle the drain after news of her affair came to public light. He was already circling the drain when the decision was made to take him off life support.
drain the main vein
vulgar slang Of a male, to urinate (where "main vein" is slang for the penis). Will you order us another round of drinks? I'm just going to go drain the main vein real quick.
Up to (one's) neck in alligators
business adage The full expression is some variation of: "When you are up to your neck in alligators, it's easy to forget that the goal was to drain the swamp." It is easy to be so overcome or preoccupied by various tangential worries, problems, or tasks that one loses sight of the ultimate goal or objective. I've spent so much time dealing with various infrastructure problems for my new business that I've had no time to actually develop our product properly. I guess it's easy to forget, when up to your neck in alligators, that the mission is to drain the swamp.
go down the drain
To fail; to be ruined or destroyed; to be squandered or wastefully discarded. My father's company is now going down the drain because of the incompetent new CEO. All of our savings have gone down the drain ever since Jack had his little gambling spree in Las Vegas.
brain drain
The loss of educated and skilled workers to other locations, often ones that provide better financial compensation or job opportunities. The state has some of the nation's best universities, but it suffers from brain drain as graduates often flee to find more lucrative job opportunities elsewhere.
drain away
[for something] to flow away. All the water drained away and exposed the mud and rocks on the bottom of the pond. When the water drained away, we found three snapping turtles in the bottom of the pond.
drain from something
to flow out of something. All the dirty oil drained from the engine. The milk drained from the leaky container and covered the bottom of the refrigerator.
drain out
to flow out or empty. All the milk drained out of the container onto the bottom of the refrigerator. All the oil drained out of the crankcase.
drain someone or something of something
Fig. to exhaust someone or something of something, such as energy, motivation, etc. This day has drained me of all my motivation. The first performance drained the cast of all its energy.
drain something away
(from something ) to channel some liquid away from something. Drain all of the standing water away from the foundation of the house. Drain away the water from the foundation.
drain something from someone or something
to cause something to flow out of someone or something. The farmers drained the water from the flooded fields. The doctor drained the fluids from Roger after his operation.
drain something of something
to empty something out of something. He drained the glass of the remaining beer.
drain something off something
and drain something off to cause or permit somethingto flow from the surface or contents of something. Drain some of the broth off the chicken. Drain off the fat at the bottom of the pan.
drain something out of something
and drain something outto cause something to flow from something; to empty all of some liquid out of something. She drained the last drop out of the bottle. She drained out all the water in the pot.
pour money down the drain
Fig. to waste money; to throw money away. What a waste! Buying that old car is just pouring money down the drain. Don't buy any more of that low-quality merchandise. That's just throwing money down the drain.
down the drain
wasted or lost
down the toilet I'm scared I'm going to be out of a job, and my 12 years of experience will be down the drain. Usage notes: often used with go: We cannot afford to let our train system go down the drain.
a brain drain
the movement of people with education and skills from their own country to another country where they are paid more for their work There is a brain drain of British mathematicians to the United States.
down the drain
(British, American & Australian informal) also down the gurgler (Australian informal) if work or money goes down the drain, it is wasted Then our funding was withdrawn and two years' work went down the drain. Say he gives up his training, that's four thousand pounds down the gurgler.
laugh like a drain
(British & Australian) to laugh very loudly I told her what had happened and she laughed like a drain.
brain drain
The departure of educated or talented persons for better pay or jobs elsewhere, as in The repression of free speech in Germany triggered a brain drain to Britain and America. The term originated about 1960, when many British scientists and intellectuals emigrated to the United States for a better working climate.
down the drain
On the way to being lost or wasted; disappearing. For example,
Buying new furniture when they can't take it with them is just pouring money down the drain , or
During the Depression huge fortunes went down the drain. This metaphoric term alludes to water going down a drain and being carried off. [
Colloquial; c. 1920] For a synonym, see
down the tubes.
brain-drain
n. the movement of intellectuals from one country to another where the pay and job opportunities are better. Where there is a good education system, there will always be a brain-drain.
circling (the drain)
tv. & in. to be in the final process of dying; to be in extremis. (Jocular but crude hospital jargon.) Get Mrs. Smith’s son on the phone. She’s circling the drain.
down the drain
mod. gone; wasted. A lot of money went down the drain in that Wilson deal.
drain the bilge
tv. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. Fred left quickly to drain the bilge.
drain the dragon
tv. [for a male] to urinate. (see also dragon = penis.) Bobby? He went to drain the dragon.
make drain babies
n. to masturbate (male). (The genetic material goes down the drain. Clever but contrived.) My social life stinks. I’m limited to making drain babies.
down the drain
To or into the condition of being wasted or lost: All of our best laid plans are down the drain.