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parade

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hit parade

Any listing or inventory of the best or most popular persons or things in a given category. Anthony's bookshelves are a veritable hit parade of classic literature.

See also: hit, parade

parade of horribles

A series of many misdeeds or misfortunes. A: "Why did you leave your job?" B: "I can't even begin to talk about the parade of horribles that happened to me while I was working there." The recent news cycle has just been a parade of horribles, with one tragedy after the next.

See also: of, parade

parade by (someone)

to march past someone in a parade or as if in a parade. The soldiers paraded by the commander in chief. Looking quite sharp, they paraded by.

See also: parade

parade (someone or an animal) out

to bring or march someone or an animal out in public. He parades his children out every Sunday as they go to church. He paraded out all his children.

See also: out, parade

parade someone or something in front of someone or something

to exhibit someone or something in front of someone or something, as if in a parade. One by one, the teacher paraded the honor students in front of the parents. The sheriff paraded the suspects in front of the camera. The sheriff paraded the suspects in front of the victim.

See also: front, of, parade

rain on someone's parade

 and rain on someone or something

Fig. to spoil something for someone. I hate to rain on your parade, but your plans are all wrong. She really rained on our plans.

See also: on, parade, rain

rain on somebody's parade

to spoil someone's plans or pleasure I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but you're not allowed to have food or drinks in the theater.

See also: on, parade, rain

rain on somebody's parade

to do something that spoils someone's plans I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but you're not allowed to have alcohol on the premises.

See also: on, parade, rain

hit parade

A listing of the most popular or best items or individuals of some kind, as in The library has a veritable hit parade of videos. This expression dates from the 1930s, when it was the name of a weekly radio show featuring the most popular songs as indicated by record sales.

See also: hit, parade

rain on one's parade

Spoil one's plans, as in The minority party in the legislature has tried hard to rain on the speaker's parade, but so far his agenda has prevailed . This expression conjures up the image of a downpour ruining a celebration such as a parade. [c. 1900]

See also: on, parade, rain

rain on someone’s parade

and rain on someone/something

in. to spoil something for someone. I hate to rain on your parade, but your plans are all wrong.

See also: on, parade, rain