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REFERENCE

live down

idiom
Meaning

To cause others to forget about something embarrassing that happened to oneself.


Examples
SIMPLE

I hope I can live down that embarrassing mistake.

CONTEXTUAL

He tripped on stage during the graduation ceremony and worried he would never live it down.

COMPLEX

Despite his many professional achievements, he struggled to live down the public scandal that had tarnished his reputation early in his career.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    live a lie

    To conceal something about oneself, without the knowledge of which others cannot know one's true character or perspective.

  2. 02

    live and die by

    Be completely reliant upon.

  3. 03

    live and let live

    To be tolerant; to enjoy the pleasures and opportunities which life offers and to allow others to do the same.

  4. 04

    live beyond one's means

    Have a lifestyle where one's spending regularly exceeds one's income.

  5. 05

    live in sin

    To cohabit as if husband and wife without being married.

  6. 06

    live in the past

    To dwell on and ruminate about past events.

  7. 07

    live in the shadow of

    To be overshadowed one's entire life, especially by a relative or predecessor.

  8. 08

    live it up

    To enjoy oneself, to have fun.

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