
IdiomDaily Life
English
sweep something under the rug
Meaning: To hide a problem instead of dealing with it.
Example: “The club swept the scandal under the rug for years.”
Origin: A lazy way of cleaning that hides the dirt. The British version says "carpet"; both are common from the mid-20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Polish: zamiatać pod dywan Literally: To sweep under the carpet
More English idioms
- push up daisies To be dead and buried.
- lose one's head To stop thinking clearly because of panic, anger or passion.
- manna from heaven Something good that arrives unexpectedly just when it is needed.
- lose face To lose respect or be humiliated in public.
- shoulder the burden To take on a heavy responsibility.
- gild the lily To spoil something already perfect by adding to it.
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