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3. upset

upset

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I don't want to alarm you, but

 and I don't want to upset you, but

an expression used to introduce bad or shocking news or gossip. Bill: I don't want to alarm you, but I see someone prowling around your car. Mary: Oh, goodness! I'll call the police! Bob: I don't want to upset you, but I have some bad news. Tom: Let me have it.

See also: alarm, but, want

upset someone's plans

Fig. to ruin someone's plans. I hope it doesn't upset your plans if I'm late for the meeting. No, it won't upset my plans at all.

See also: plan, upset

upset the apple cart

Fig. to mess up or ruin something. Tom really upset the apple cart by telling Mary the truth about Jane. I always knew he'd tell secrets and upset the apple cart.

See also: apple, cart, upset

upset the applecart

to cause trouble, especially by spoiling someone's plans I don't want to upset the applecart now by asking you to change the date for the meeting.

See also: applecart, upset

upset the applecart

Spoil carefully laid plans, as in Now don't upset the applecart by revealing where we're going. This expression started out as upset the cart, used since Roman times to mean "spoil everything." The precise idiom dates from the late 1700s.

See also: applecart, upset