damn someone or something with faint praise

damn someone or something with faint praise
damn someone or something with faint praise
Fig. to criticize someone or something indirectly by not praising enthusiastically. •

The critic did not say that he disliked the play, but he damned it with faint praise.

Mrs. Brown is very proud of her son's achievements, but damns her daughter's with faint praise.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • damn something with faint praise — damn (someone/something) with faint praise to show only slight approval for someone or something. By qualifying his support, you could argue he was damning these leaders with faint praise. Maybe I m damning them with faint praise, but the Yankees …   New idioms dictionary

  • damn someone/something with faint praise — praise someone or something so unenthusiastically as to imply condemnation …   Useful english dictionary

  • damn someone with faint praise — damn (someone/something) with faint praise to show only slight approval for someone or something. By qualifying his support, you could argue he was damning these leaders with faint praise. Maybe I m damning them with faint praise, but the Yankees …   New idioms dictionary

  • damn with faint praise — damn (someone/something) with faint praise to show only slight approval for someone or something. By qualifying his support, you could argue he was damning these leaders with faint praise. Maybe I m damning them with faint praise, but the Yankees …   New idioms dictionary

  • damn with faint praise — To condemn in effect by expressing too cool approval • • • Main Entry: ↑damn * * * damn with faint praise phrase to praise someone or something with such a lack of enthusiasm that it is obvious you do not think they are at all good Critics have… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Damn with faint praise — is an English idiom for words that effectively condemn by seeming to offer praise which is too moderate or marginal to be considered praise at all.[1] In other words, this phrase identifies the act of expressing a compliment so feeble that it… …   Wikipedia

  • damn with faint praise — to praise someone or something with such a lack of enthusiasm that it is obvious you do not think they are at all good Critics have damned the film with faint praise …   English dictionary

  • damn — damn1 [ dæm ] interjection IMPOLITE used when you are annoyed about something: Damn! I ve broken one of my nails. damn damn 2 [ dæm ] adjective only before noun IMPOLITE used for emphasizing what you are saying, especially when you are annoyed… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • damn — damn1 [dæm] interjection not polite 1.) used when you are very annoyed or disappointed ▪ Damn! I ve locked my keys in the car. 2.) used when something is impressive or surprising ▪ Damn, she s old. damn 2 damn2 adv [+ adjective/adverb] informal… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • damn — 1 adjective (only before noun) spoken used to show that you are angry or annoyed with someone or something: I can t get this damn button undone! 2 adverb (+ adj/adv) spoken 1 used to emphasize how good something is, how bad something is etc; very …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • damn — I UK [dæm] / US interjection impolite used when you are annoyed about something Damn! I ve broken one of my nails. II = damned damn UK [dæm] / US or damned UK [dæmd] / US adjective [only before noun] impolite used for emphasizing what you are… …   English dictionary

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