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Interactions - Mistreatment & Misconduct

Explore English idioms that relate to mistreatment and misconduct, including "backhanded compliment" and "play fast and loose with".

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English idioms related to Interactions
to [play] fast and loose with {sb/sth}

to act toward a person or thing without enough care, seriousness, or sense of responsibility

Ex: You can't play fast and loose with people's trust and then expect them to forgive you.Ā 
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to [play] Old Harry with {sth}

to make problems for something or have a negative effect on it

Ex: The heavy rain played Old Harry with our travel plans.Ā 
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to [sell] {sb/sth} short

to not value a person or thing as one should

Ex: Don't sell yourself short; you're more qualified than most people applying for that job.Ā 
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to [shoot|kill|blame] the messenger

to put the blame on the person who brings bad news and assume they are responsible for it

Ex: Don't shoot the messenger; I'm only telling you what the client said.Ā 
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to [treat] {sb} like (a piece of|) (dirt|trash)

to not care about someone at all or have absolutely no respect for them

Ex: He treated her like dirt for years, and she finally left.Ā 
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to [walk] all over {sb}

to treat a person poorly by taking advantage of them or ignoring their needs and feelings

Ex: If you never say no, people will walk all over you.Ā 
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to [look] daggers at {sb}

to look at a person in a way that shows one hates them or is very angry with them

Ex: She looked daggers at him when he interrupted her again.Ā 
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backhanded compliment

a comment that seemingly praises someone but is actually intended to insult them

Ex: Saying I look good for my age is such a backhanded compliment.Ā 
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to [do] a number on {sb/sth}

to seriously affect or harm someone or something, usually resulting in negative consequences

Ex: The flu really did a number on him; he was in bed for two weeks.Ā 
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to [do] {sb} (dirty|dirt)

to betray someone or cause them harm on purpose, especially when they do not expect it

Ex: I can't believe he did me dirty after everything I did for him.Ā 
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to [throw] it over the wall

to pass a responsibility, task, or problem to someone else without addressing or resolving it oneself

Ex: Don't just throw it over the wall to support; fix the bug before you hand it off.Ā 
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to [throw] {sb} a bone

to stop someone from complaining or protesting by offering them something that is not of very high value or importance

Ex: The company threw workers a bone with a tiny bonus after months of complaints.Ā 
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to [send] {sb} packing

to tell a person to leave immediately in a forceful manner

Ex: When he started insulting the staff, the manager sent him packing.Ā 
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to [be] out on {one's} ear

to be dismissed or expelled from a place, job, or position

Ex: If he shows up drunk again, he'll be out on his ear.Ā 
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to [leave] {sb} in the lurch

to refuse to help someone when they need it the most

Ex: He promised to help me move, then left me in the lurch on the day itself.Ā 
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witch hunt

an unfair search for someone to blame

Ex: The investigation felt like a witch hunt.Ā 
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to [talk] behind {one's} back

to say negative things about someone when they are not present

Ex: She was hurt when she learned they had talked behind her back.Ā 
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to [knock|throw] {sb} off balance

to make someone feel uncertain, upset, or unsteady

Ex: The sudden question knocked him off balance.Ā 
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to [leave] {sb} hanging

to fail to support or help someone who is depending on you

Ex: Don't leave me hanging when the guests arrive.Ā 
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to [give] {sb} a (hard|tough|rough) time

to tease, criticize, or treat someone harshly

Ex: The new teacher felt nervous on the first day of school because the students gave her a hard time.Ā 
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to [leave] {sb} holding the bag

to be left in a difficult or embarrassing situation, often without any support or assistance

Ex: The manager quit suddenly and left us holding the bag.Ā 
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to [leave] {sb} out in the cold

to exclude or neglect someone, often intentionally, from a group or activity

Ex: They planned the whole trip and left me out in the cold.Ā 
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