# rain on someone's parade



## audiolaik

Hello,

I found the following idiom: _rain on one's parade._ I looked it up, and it turned out that it means to ruin one's pleasure or plans.

Is the expression in common use? 

Does it tend to be more British or American?


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## panjandrum

It's fairly common, and doesn't strike me as particularly AE or BE.


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## sound shift

I am familiar with it, audiolaik, but I do not come across it very often.


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## panjandrum

sound shift said:


> I am familiar with it, audiolaik, but I do not come across it very often.


I think that's a fairer assessment than my earlier post.  I used to know one person who used it a lot.


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## audiolaik

Thank you for your kind replies!

By the way, does the expression sound ironic, humorous or neutral?


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## Matching Mole

Ironic or referential, I would say, if not camp. It was popularized by Barbara Streisand's song "Don't Rain On My Parade" from the musical_ Funny Girl.
_


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## Joelline

i would think that all native speakers would know the expression.  As an AE speaker, I can say that the phrase was more popular after the Streisand song came out, but that I rarely hear it nowadays.  Depending on the context, it can be used ironically, humorously or neutrally.


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## Loob

I can't imagine ever saying it, audio, unless I was quoting the Streisand song for some (perhaps ironic) reason.


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## panjandrum

I've heard it used in either of two ways.
"Who rained on his parade?" - referring to someone who looks really gloomy and depressed.  
"I'll soon rain on his parade." - referring to someone who is over-confident and perhaps arrogant.


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## losvedir

audiolaik said:


> Hello,
> 
> I found the following idiom: _rain on one's parade._ I looked it up, and it turned out that it means to ruin one's pleasure or plans.
> 
> Is the expression in common use?
> 
> Does it tend to be more British or American?



I wouldn't say I hear it all that much, but I'm definitely familiar with it. I would probably use it in something like the following: "Not to rain on your parade or anything, but that's a terrible idea...", said somewhat jokingly to a friend.


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## sindridah

Hello

I'm curious to know what _parade_ actually means.

Like that song with Duffy, It's called rain on your _parade_ and the line is "I'm gonna rain on your _parade_"

So what does Parade mean?


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## JamesM

It is an allusion to the effect that rain has on the participants of a parade.  If your parade gets rained on you are usually unhappy and possibly gloomy or depressed.  

"Who rained on his parade?" is a question that means "What made him so gloomy/depressed/grumpy?"  "Don't rain on my parade" means "Don't try to discourage me" or "Don't be critical/sarcastic/pressimistic about my plans". 

"I'm going to rain on your parade" usually means "I'm going to tell you something that will disappoint or depress you" possibly by exposing the flaws in your argument or your overconfidence.


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## Loob

sindridah said:


> I'm curious to know what _parade_ actually means.
> 
> Like that song with Duffy, It's called rain on your _parade_ and the line is "I'm gonna rain on your _parade_"
> 
> So what does Parade mean?


I'm intrigued too, actually...

What does _parade_ mean in this context - does it mean _procession_?


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## Packard

My mom, now aged 89, used to use that phrase for as long as I can remember.  Certainly back in the 1950s and later.

I cannot recall any of my contemporaries using that phrase, and I don't believe I've ever used it either.

It always seemed outdated to me--more so nowadays.


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## Loob

And the meaning of _parade_ is...?


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## JamesM

See my post #12. 

It is an allegorical reference to an actual parade (procession), just as "Who took the wind out of _his_ sails?" refers to a sailing boat but is not meant literally.

It's still quite current in journalism:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...ter-Murray-raining-supreme.html#ixzz0wnzhvlr7

ANDY MURRAY rained on Roger Federer's parade last night as he battled relentlessly to land his second straight Toronto Masters title. 


http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-s...wn-ed-schultzs-gm-success-story#ixzz0wo07Uk1l

A liberal Huffington Post contributor and board member of the website's Investigative Fund rained on Ed Schultz's GM success story victory parade on Thursday.​ 
http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2010/08/04/european-union-deals-blow-rim.htm


This should have been the high point of RIM's year, with the launch of the Torch, but just as 'Antennagate' rained on Apple's parade, so the BlackBerry maker's party is being spoiled by a series of international disputes.​ 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/431062-dont-rain-on-emmitts-parade​ 
Emmitt Smith: Don't Rain On His Hall of Fame Parade​ 

These are all from the last two weeks.​


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## Loob

Thanks, James. So _parade = procession_...


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## Rover_KE

Packard said:


> My mom, now aged 89, used to use that phrase for as long as I can remember. Certainly back in the 1950s and later.


 
This reinforces my impression that the phrase is more AE than BE.

I'd certainly never heard it before the Streisand song, but I've used it myself several times since.

Rover


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## JamesM

Loob said:


> Thanks, James. So _parade = procession_...


 
Just to double-check... is that an unusual meaning of the word in British English?


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## Loob

JamesM said:


> Just to double-check... is that an unusual meaning of the word in British English?


It's one meaning, certainly.

But another - perhaps more common? - meaning is 'row of shops'.  (There are half-a-dozen other meanings too...)


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## JamesM

Oh! Thanks for clearing that up. I don't think we ever use the word with that meaning (although we do use it for a few others).

I can see how "Someone rained on his row of shops" would sound very strange.


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## Neezers

Probably a more contemporary expression would be "to burst someone's bubble/balloon"  But I agree, native speakers would certainly understand "rain on someone's parade".


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## Rover_KE

Loob said:


> Thanks, James. So _parade = procession_...


 
That's what I've always thought.

Compare 'Seventy-six trombones led the big parade' (The Music Man) - clearly a procession.

Rover


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## Matching Mole

Well, I know that rows of buildings (usually shops) are sometimes called parades (and it appears in street names), but to me the principle meaning is a march or similar display of persons, either, military (the original meaning, I think) or as in a carnival, etc. (e.g. The Love Parade). It's not unusual in BE, we've been using it for years, in my view and I don't consider it particularly US.


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## cyberpedant

"Row of shops"??? I am astonished! I don't think it would have that meaning anywhere in the New World.


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## Packard

Loob said:


> It's one meaning, certainly.
> 
> But another - perhaps more common? - meaning is 'row of shops'. (There are half-a-dozen other meanings too...)


 

I never heard of that usage (shops, that is).  I must assume that that is strictly BE usage.


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## hyperslow

Hi there,

It's just crossed my mind that I saw this idiom yeasterday, I leafed through the books I am reading at the moment.... Murakami, _Kafka on the shore, 
'I don't want to rain on your parade or anything, but I wouldn't count on escaping this place if I were you.'


_


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## Loob

Packard said:


> I never heard of that usage (shops, that is). I must assume that that is strictly BE usage.


I expect you're right, MrP. The OED does quote Nathaniel Hawthorne as having used its meaning 4* of 'parade':





> *4.* A public square or promenade; (also) a row of shops in a town, or the street on which they are situated.
> Freq. in the names of such streets, squares, or promenades.


But the quote is from _Our Old Home_ so he was presumably referring to somewhere in England....

_______________
*meanings 1-3 and 5 being:
_*1.* Show, display, ostentation; an instance of this._
_*2. a.* The assembling or mustering of troops for inspection or display, esp. at set hours; an instance of this. _
_*b.* A place where troops assemble for parade; a level space forming the interior or enclosed area of a fortification; a parade ground._
_*c.* The troops assembled on parade._
*3. *_*a.* A public march or procession, esp. one celebrating a special day or event. _
_*b.* An assembly of people, esp. a crowd of promenaders. Now largely merged in sense 3a. _
_*c.* In extended use and fig.: any (real or notional) procession of people or things. _
_*d.* _*to hold up the parade*_ (U.S. colloq.): to cause a delay. be explained in due time. _

_*5.* A broadcast sequence describing forthcoming programmes, events, etc. Now rare. _


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## Curchmouse07

[This question has been added to an existing previous thread on the same topic.  DonnyB - moderator]
What's a good British equivalent of "to [hate to] rain on someone's parade"?


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## elroy

What's the context?  And is this expression not used in Britain?


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## DonnyB

Curchmouse07 said:


> What's a good British equivalent of "to [hate to] rain on someone's parade"?



It's not very common in BE, no - or put it this way, there are more idiomatic modern alternatives.  What scenario are you looking to describe, and how informal/vulgar are you intending to be?


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## velisarius

It would be a pointless expression in Britain, because we don't go in for parades much and it's always raining anyway.


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## You little ripper!




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## Loob

Curchmouse07 said:


> [This question has been added to an existing previous thread on the same topic.  DonnyB - moderator]
> What's a good British equivalent of "to [hate to] rain on someone's parade"?


The first thing that occurs to me is "Don't put a damper on things". And the second is "Don't be [such] a wet blanket".  There are probably many more...


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## kentix

But that's critiquing someone else's behavior, which is not the meaning of raining on someone's parade. Raining on someone's parade is ruining _their_ mood and good time by giving them bad news, even if you feel bad doing it.

This is the way I would use it.


losvedir said:


> I wouldn't say I hear it all that much, but I'm definitely familiar with it. I would probably use it in something like the following: "Not to rain on your parade or anything, but that's a terrible idea...", said somewhat jokingly to a friend.



For instance, if a friend said they were very excited because they just found out that X was coming to town for a concert and that was their favorite musician when they were growing up and they couldn't wait to get tickets, I could reply,

"I hate to rain on your parade, but I heard on the radio that the tickets are already sold out. Sorry."

This is a parade. A spectator event. Once it starts to rain, it's a lot less fun.


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## Loob

kentix said:


> But that's critiquing someone else's behavior, which is not the meaning of raining on someone's parade.


Sorry, yes, I was thinking of "Don't rain on my parade".

The equivalent of "I hate to rain on your parade" would be "I hate/don't want to put a damper on things" or " I hate/ don't want to be a wet blanket".


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## kentix

Yes, of course. You can actually use it both ways. "Don't rain on my parade." = "I don't want to hear any bad news. Even if it's true." 

Girl 1: I think that boy likes me. He just winked at me.
Girl 2: I think he had something in his eye.
Girl 1: Don't rain on my parade.


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## ayed

Well, what do you call whosoever does so?
A spoiler, ruiner ?


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## Loob

ayed said:


> Well, what do you call whosoever does so?
> A spoiler, ruiner ?


Well - see my last two posts - one option in BrE would be "a wet blanket"


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## kentix

And that is the same in AE.


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## elroy

Also, “party pooper,” “spoilsport,” “buzzkill.”


Matching Mole said:


> Ironic or referential, I would say, if not camp.


 I wonder what @Matching Mole meant by “referential” and “camp”?


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