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Region: General | Usage example: It’s better not to air dirty laundry during the meeting.

Air dirty laundry

Meaning

Discuss private problems in public.

Usage

Used to caution against revealing sensitive disputes.

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

Washing clothes and letting them dry exposed to view.

Used in Victorian advice about discretion.

Related Idioms

Air your laundry

Publicly discuss private matters, often causing embarrassment.

Quick and dirty

A fast but imperfect solution.

A stitch in time saves nine

Fixing small problems now prevents bigger ones later.

More Idioms

Break the ice

To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation.

Cut to the chase

Skip ahead to the most important or exciting part of something.

The ball is in your court

It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Throw in the towel

To concede defeat or admit a struggle isn't worth continuing.