drain the cup to the dregs
Meaning: To endure a hardship or humiliation to the very end.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “After the scandal, he drained the cup to the dregs, resigning in front of the cameras.”
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: The "dregs" are the bitter sediment at the bottom of a cup. The image comes from the Bible, where Psalm 75 describes the wicked drinking the dregs of the cup of God's wrath.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Boire le calice jusqu'à la lie — literally: To drink the chalice down to the dregs
More idioms — Food & Drink
- the icing on the cake — An extra good thing added to something already good.
- take with a grain of salt — To be skeptical about something; not to take it entirely at face value.
- I could eat a horse — I am extremely hungry.
- there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip — Many things can go wrong before a plan succeeds.
- born with a silver spoon in one's mouth — Born into a wealthy, privileged family.
- butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth — Someone looks innocent or proper, but probably is not.
More English idioms
- neither fish nor fowl — Something that fits into no clear category.
- only have eyes for — To be interested in or attracted to one person only.
- lose sleep over — To worry a lot about something.
- like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic — Doing something pointless while a disaster happens.
- shoot oneself in the foot — To damage one's own interests through a foolish action.
- make a pass at — To make a sexual or romantic advance toward someone.
From our untranslatable words
- Yurodivy — One who plays the fool deliberately as a religious act, and is therefore licensed to spea…
- Khalyava — Something good got for free and without effort — and, strictly, something you were never…
- Beloruchka — Someone who dodges dirty or hard work — a person whose hands stay conspicuously clean.