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praise
sing the praises of (someone or something)
To speak very highly of someone or something; to enthusiastically endorse someone or something; to extol the virtues, benefits, or good qualities of someone or something. Our manager has been singing the praises of the new developers she hired. I just hope that they're up to the job! Jeff was singing the praises of his smartphone all last week, until it froze on him all of a sudden last night.
praise from Sir Hubert
The most prestigious compliment one can receive. Derived from a line in the 1797 Thomas Morton play A Cure for the Heartache. The CEO actually commended you for your work on the project? Wow, that's praise from Sir Hubert indeed!
praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition
Keep going, despite trouble or stress. The phrase is widely believed to have been said by a Navy chaplain during the attack on Pearl Harbor; it later became the title of a popular patriotic song. Until help comes, there's nothing we can do but keep trying to plug the holes in the roof. Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition!
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.
praise someone or something to the skies
Fig. to give someone or something much praise. He wasn't very good, but his friends praised him to the skies. They liked your pie. Everyone praised it to the skies.
Self-praise is no recommendation.
Prov. If you praise yourself, people will think that you are boastful and will not respect you. After listening to the lawyer brag about his achievements for a solid half hour, I decided I would find someone else to handle my case. Self-praise is no recommendation.
sing someone's or something's praises
and sing the praises of someone or somethingFig. to praise someone highly and enthusiastically. The boss is singing his new secretary's praises. The theater critics are singing the praises of the young actor.
damn (somebody/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 are easier to like than the Atlanta Braves in this series.
sing somebody's/something's praises
also sing the praises of somebody/something to praise someone or something with enthusiasm I hate the city, but my sister is always singing its praises.
damn somebody/something with faint praise
to praise something or someone in such a weak way that it is obvious you do not really admire them She damned Reynolds with faint praise, calling him one of the best imitators in the world.
praise somebody/something to the skies
to praise someone or something very much At first she would praise him to the skies for every minor achievement.
sing somebody's/something's praises
to praise someone or something very much You've obviously made a good impression on Paul - he was singing your praises last night. Mat seems happy enough in Brighton - he's always singing its praises.
damn with faint praise
Compliment so feebly that it amounts to no compliment at all, or even implies condemnation. For example, The reviewer damned the singer with faint praise, admiring her dress but not mentioning her voice . This idea was already expressed in Roman times by Favorinus (c. a.d. 110) but the actual expression comes from Alexander Pope's Epistle to Doctor Arbuthnot (1733): "Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, and, without sneering, teach the rest to sneer."
praise to the skies
Commend lavishly or excessively, as in
The critics praised the new soprano to the skies. This expression, alluding to lofty praise, was in the 1600s put as
extol to the skies but acquired its present form in the early 1800s. Also see
sing one's praises.
sing someone's praises
Commend someone, especially to others, as in
They were singing her praises to the entire community. [Mid-1500s] Also see
praise to the skies.
Common Names:
| Name | Gender | Pronounced | Usage |
|---|
| Gosse | | GAWS (English) | English (Rare), Medieval French |
| Adebayo | | - | Western African, Yoruba |
| Xavior | | - | English (Rare) |
| Kam | | KAM | English (Modern) |
| Dagmara | | - | Polish |
| Lourens | | - | Frisian, Dutch |