# pour down the drain

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/pour-down-the-drain
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To waste prior work by subsequent bad decisions.

## Examples

- Don't pour your hard work down the drain by quitting now.
- If you ignore the project requirements, you will pour all your research down the drain.
- By failing to secure the final signatures, the team allowed months of meticulous planning to be poured down the drain.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.