rock the boat

rock the boat
rock the boat
1. Lit. to do something to move a boat from side to side, causing it to rock. (Often in a negative sense.) •

Sit down and stop rocking the boat. You'll turn it over!

2. Fig. to cause trouble where none is welcome; to disturb a situation that is otherwise stable and satisfactory. (Often negative.) •

Look, Tom, everything is going fine here. Don't rock the boat!

•

You can depend on Tom to mess things up by rocking the boat.

* * *
{v. phr.}, {informal} To make trouble and risk losing or upsetting something; cause a disturbance that may spoil a plan. * /The other boys said that Henry was rocking the boat by wanting to let girls into their club./ * /Politicians don't like to rock the boat around election time./ Compare: UPSET THE APPLE CART. Contrast: LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE.

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • rock the boat — {v. phr.}, {informal} To make trouble and risk losing or upsetting something; cause a disturbance that may spoil a plan. * /The other boys said that Henry was rocking the boat by wanting to let girls into their club./ * /Politicians don t like to …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • Rock the Boat — can refer to:* Rock the Boat (Hues Corporation song), a 1974 number one single by Hues Corporation * Rock the Boat (Aaliyah song), a 2001 single by Aaliyah * Rock the Boat (TV movie), a 2000 television movie starring Amanda Donohoe and Jeremy… …   Wikipedia

  • rock the boat — If you rock the boat, you destabilise a situation by making trouble. It is often used as advice; Don t rock the boat …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • rock the boat — ► rock the boat informal disturb an existing situation. Main Entry: ↑boat …   English terms dictionary

  • rock the boat — [v] cause trouble complain, disagree, disturb, make a stink*, make waves*, not conform*, object, protest, stir things up*, upset the apple cart*; concepts 46,52,54,300 …   New thesaurus

  • rock the boat — phrasal : to do something that disturbs the equilibrium of a project trips should not be timed to rock the boat in countries where elections are being held Reporter * * * rock the boat To make things difficult for one s colleagues, create trouble …   Useful english dictionary

  • rock the boat —    If you rock the boat, you destabilise a situation by making trouble. It is often used as advice; Don t rock the boat .   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • Rock the boat —   If you rock the boat, you destabilise a situation by making trouble. It is often used as advice; Don t rock the boat …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • rock\ the\ boat — v. phr. informal To make trouble and risk losing or upsetting something; cause a disturbance that may spoil a plan. The other boys said that Henry was rocking the boat by wanting to let girls into their club. Politicians don t like to rock the… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • rock the boat — informal to do or say something that causes problems, especially if you try to change a situation which most people do not want to change. We certainly don t want anyone rocking the boat just before the election. I tried to suggest a few ways in… …   New idioms dictionary

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