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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Vocabulary

What does this idiom mean?

'washing one's linen in public'

Thanks in anticipation

Jagan
  

Top answer

It means telling other people things which would be better kept privately within the family. It is often used nowadays when a couple are divorcing and begin to badmouth each other. Linen is an (archaic) term for underwear.

— Lil' Ruby Rose

  • It means telling other people things which would be better kept privately within the family.
  • It is often used nowadays when a couple are divorcing and begin to badmouth each other.
  • Linen is an (archaic) term for underwear.
  • To wash one's dirty linen in public would allow strangers to see more than would be socially acceptable.
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2 Answers
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It means telling other people things which would be better kept privately within the family. It is often used nowadays when a couple are divorcing and begin to badmouth each other.

Linen is an (archaic) term for underwear. To wash one's dirty linen in public would allow strangers to see more than would be socially acceptable.
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Very many thanks, Lil' Ruby Rose.

You are from England and that means I got the exact explanation for the typical 'English' English idiom. I stand clarified.

Jagan
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