pour oil on troubled waters

pour oil on troubled waters
To calm something or someone who is tenacious or misbehaving.

I better go pour oil on those troubled waters the children are making over there.


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  • pour oil on troubled waters — see under ↑water • • • Main Entry: ↑pour pour oil on troubled waters To take measures to calm down a stormy state of affairs, from the effect of pouring oil on rough water • • • Main Entry: ↑water * * * pour oil on troubled waters phrase to try… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pour oil on troubled waters — If someone pours oil on troubled waters, they try to calm things down …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • pour oil on troubled waters — ► pour oil on troubled waters try to calm a dispute with placatory words. Main Entry: ↑pour …   English terms dictionary

  • pour oil on troubled waters —    If someone pours oil on troubled waters, they try to calm things down.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    If a person pours oil on troubled waters, they do or say something to calm a tense situation.     James is a good negotiator, and is …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • pour oil on troubled waters — calm down a quarrel, say something to lessen anger and bring peace to a situation They tried to pour oil on troubled waters after they noticed the argument among the students …   Idioms and examples

  • pour oil on troubled waters — to do or say something in order to make people stop arguing and become calmer. She was furious with Dave for forgetting her birthday so I tried to pour oil on troubled waters by offering to take them both out for a meal …   New idioms dictionary

  • pour oil on troubled waters — {v. phr.} To quiet a quarrel; say something to lessen anger and bring peace. * /The troops were nearing a bitter quarrel until the leader poured oil on the troubled waters./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • pour oil on troubled waters — {v. phr.} To quiet a quarrel; say something to lessen anger and bring peace. * /The troops were nearing a bitter quarrel until the leader poured oil on the troubled waters./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • pour\ oil\ on\ troubled\ waters — v. phr. To quiet a quarrel; say something to lessen anger and bring peace. The troops were nearing a bitter quarrel until the leader poured oil on the troubled waters …   Словарь американских идиом

  • pour oil on troubled waters — Meaning Attempt to calm a problematic situation. Origin From the property of oil of flattening out the ripples on water when it spreads over it very thinly …   Meaning and origin of phrases

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