make an exhibition of oneself
To embarrass oneself or others in public by behaving foolishly.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He drank too much and made an exhibition of himself.”
“She was so nervous at the party that she made an exhibition of herself by tripping over the rug.”
“The young diplomat, unused to strong wine and formal occasions, made an exhibition of himself at the state dinner, and was quietly recalled the following week.”
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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