IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishsend someone packing
Meaning: To dismiss someone abruptly.
Example: “The club sent the troublemakers packing.”
Origin: Telling someone to pack their bags and leave. Shakespeare uses the phrase in Henry IV, Part 1 (around 1597).
Equivalents in other languages
Russian: гнать в три шеи (gnat' v tri shei) Literally: To chase in three necks
French: Envoyer paître Literally: To send someone off to graze
More English idioms
- jump through hoops To go through many difficult or pointless steps to get something.
- grease someone's palm To bribe someone.
- go by shanks' mare To walk; to travel on foot.
- as old as Methuselah Extremely old.
- like a duck to water Naturally and easily, as if born to it.
- kill the goose that lays the golden eggs To destroy a source of profit out of greed.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- 空気が読めない (kūki ga yomenai) Completely oblivious to the unspoken social mood — the person who kills the atmosphere wi…
- 눈치가 없다 (nunchi ga eopda) Hopelessly socially oblivious — can't pick up on emotional cues, awkward silences, or uns…
- حمار (ḥimār) A stubborn fool — the donkey being the universal symbol of obstinacy in Arabic culture.
Keep exploring