dirty linen


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Noun1.dirty linen - personal matters that could be embarrassing if made public
affairs, personal business, personal matters - matters of personal concern; "get his affairs in order"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in classic literature ?
The other, a little fellow, a traveler of meagre appearance, wearing a dusty surtout, dirty linen, and boots more worn by the pavement than the stirrup, had come from Nantes with a cart drawn by a horse so like Furet in color, that D'Artagnan might have gone a hundred miles without finding a better match.
Observe in a family some old charwoman who can make beds, sweep the floors, carry away the dirty linen, who knows where the silver is kept, how the creditors should be pacified, what persons should be let in and who must be kept out of the house, and such a creature, even if she has all the vices, and is dirty, decrepit, and toothless, or puts into the lottery and steals thirty sous a day for her stake, and you will find the masters like her from habit, talk and consult in her hearing upon even critical matters; she comes and goes, suggests resources, gets on the scent of secrets, brings the rouge or the shawl at the right moment, lets herself be scolded and pushed downstairs, and the next morning reappears smiling with an excellent bouillon.
She told the ECHO: "We were told to re-use dirty linen and Febreze it.
Dirty linen was seen piled all over the wards with dirty rooms and blocked toilets.
He even washed dirty linen in public by talking about taboo subjects like gay behaviour and adultery in the Indian army.
FUNFARE - Ricky Lo (The Philippine Star) - December 26, 2018 - 12:00am As part of this corner's year-ender, I did a random survey on who are the Top 3 Role-Model Moms in showbiz, based on these criteria: wholesome image (meaning, untainted by neither controversy nor scandal), respect for spouse (especially on social media) and not washing dirty linen in public.
'You were washing the dirty linen of Pakistan abroad.
To mix a shedload of metaphors, if Boris thought he was clearing the decks for a leadership challenge by washing his dirty linen in public then he's thrown the baby out with the bathwater.
It is understandable for players to demand for what is their right, but it is wrong for an official to openly air our dirty linen in public.When we lined up to elect the current officials, nobody was greater than the other, we elected a team to run Gor Mahia, but it seems some officials had other ideas going into office.
THIS pile of dirty linen outside Huddersfield Royal Infirmary has been branded a "total disgrace'.'.
Tory MP Jacob Rees- Mogg suggested peers "wish to keep their dirty linen in the closet".