Phrasal verb
live down
Definition
phrasal verb. to make people forget an embarrassing mistake you made in the past. You usually use this when you are worried people will always remember something silly you did.
phrasal verb. To overcome the shame or embarrassment of a past mistake or failure over time. It is frequently used in the negative to suggest that a specific event was so humiliating it will be remembered indefinitely.
Examples
“I will never live down the time I tripped on stage.”
“After calling his boss by the wrong name during the meeting, Mark felt he would never live it down.”
“The politician struggled to live down the scandal that had derailed his first campaign, despite his subsequent efforts to reform the local housing laws.”
Examples
simple
“I will never live down the time I tripped on stage.”
contextual
“After calling his boss by the wrong name during the meeting, Mark felt he would never live it down.”
complex
“The politician struggled to live down the scandal that had derailed his first campaign, despite his subsequent efforts to reform the local housing laws.”
Usage
Usually takes 'it' as a middle object and is most common in the negative form 'never live it down'.
Teaching tip
Teach this alongside the concept of 'reputation'; it is a great phrase for discussing social embarrassment and how long people remember mistakes.
Pitfall
I will never live down from that mistake.
I will never live that mistake down.
The phrase does not take the preposition 'from'; the mistake or the pronoun 'it' acts as the direct object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
down
Separability
optional
Pattern
live + down + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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