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watered down

watered down

Date: Sep 11 2008

Themes: News

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“I would hate to see the flames of discontent be watered down by visions of hope and change, when historically those things have only come from workers or people fighting against segregation.”

Musician Zach de la Rocha explaining why Obama isn’t leftist enough for him. (LA Times)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

weakened; made to be less intense

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

A lot of people in the US are very unhappy with the government. President Bush is one of the most disliked presidents in history. But it’s an election year. So what will happen now?

Rage Against the Machine vocalist De la Rocha says he likes Obama, but doesn’t think he’ll be able to fix the problems of the US. Although he might make some progress, De la Rocha is worried that if Obama is elected, people will become content and forget about deeper problems. He sees that the desire for change is strong, and worries that a little change will water it down or weaken it before enough change takes place.

Watered down is commonly used figuratively the way De la Rocha uses it (he includes “fire” in the same sentence for an extra touch, but you don’t have to do that), but it’s also used literally. If you add water to a drink to weaken it, you’re watering it down.

Art, music and ideas are also commonly watered down. It just means that they lack passion. If one day De la Rocha stops being so revolutionary, people will say his ideas and music are watered down. Let’s hope that never happens.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

“Their first records were full of passion, but more recently, their music has been watered down and boring.”

“I’ve have five of these and I’m not feeling drunk at all. I think they’re watered down.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

onutza weakened
by onutza
Pavlionka to extinguish, to weaken with water
by Pavlionka
majid_jjs dilute, make watery; reduce the strength of, make less intense
by majid_jjs
dofkele15 to make something soften and easier
by dofkele15
tiffintime To reduce, diminish or weaken the forcefulness or effectiveness of something.
by tiffintime

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Comments

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nabildmx

Morocco

RATM :d:d:d:dTongue out

08:48 PM Jun 22 2009 |

emmashow1280

China

the criticisms had been watered down so as not to offend anybody

03:08 AM Jun 09 2009 |

yhs880817

yhs880817

China

  she  is  so angry  , i think  u  had  better  watered  down her fury!!!

03:36 PM May 24 2009 |

_enigma_

_enigma_

Germany

The first time, When you take a antibiotic it is very effective on your sickness but when you take this antibiotic a few times …It is watered down inevitably.

12:59 PM May 07 2009 |

JoI

JoI

Belarus

Taken along or dissoluted plans.

11:38 PM Apr 11 2009 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

sometimes I water it down

08:34 PM Nov 28 2008 |

Lover for Ever

Saudi Arabia

Weakened! nice word^^

11:11 PM Sep 14 2008 |

Maplewei

Maplewei

China

It’s peace time now,but there are many unhappy things happened in the world,war and something other.I think what we can do is do we best to take our peace idea to our friends,and help the harmonious building.

02:17 PM Sep 11 2008 |

EndLessHope

Turkey

reduce the strength of,make less intense.

11:53 AM Sep 11 2008 |

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