make a spectacle of oneself
To conspicuously embarrass oneself or others in public.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Please stop shouting or you will make a spectacle of yourself.”
“He had too much to drink at the party and started making a spectacle of himself in front of his boss.”
“By engaging in such a loud and public argument, she inadvertently made a spectacle of herself, drawing the unwanted attention of everyone in the restaurant.”
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absence makes the heart grow fonder
One feels more love or affection for those one loves when parted from them.
- 02
adorn oneself with borrowed plumes
To claim the honor of another for oneself.
- 03
apply oneself
Synonym of strive: to work hard, to complete an activity with good effort and focus.
- 04
be oneself
To behave or act naturally, without regard to how this behavior is perceived by others.
- 05
bear oneself
To behave and conduct oneself in a particular manner.
- 06
box oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.
- 07
buy a dog and bark oneself
To do something that one has hired someone else to do.
- 08
cannot make it
Cannot reach satisfactory or expected standards or do something competently; describes someone in a hopeless situation.
Last updated August 10, 2026