Wash your dirty linen in public 家丑外扬

Feifei

大家好，欢迎收听 BBC 英语教学的《地道英语》节目。我是冯菲菲。

Rob

…and me, Rob. Hello! Hey Feifei, you know that expression 'to wash your dirty linen in public'?

Feifei

Yes. 表达 wash your dirty linen in public 的字面意思是“在公开场合洗脏的针织品”实际要表达的意思是在公开场合毫无忌讳地谈论私密的事情，好比俗话说的“家丑外扬”。You wouldn't catch me doing that!

Rob

Nor me – I always keep private matters private - but anyway it's exactly what Daisy and Tom have been doing.

Feifei

What? They've been washing their dirty linen in public – you mean they've been arguing?

Rob

Not exactly – but yesterday, they were out in the garden making lots of noise.

Feifei

Oh I see. Actually Rob I think…

Rob

…and I'm sure Daisy said something about hanging Tom out to dry.

Feifei

行了、行了 Rob，你就别再猜下去了，我知道是怎么回事儿，不过咱们还是先来听几个使用这个表达的例句吧。

Examples

Tim kept discussing his brother's drinking problem at the pub but I told him not to wash his dirty linen in public.

I know he's having an affair but do they have to wash their dirty linen in public?

Don't wash your dirty linen in public, save your argument for when you get home!

Feifei

Wash your dirty linen in public 的意思就是在公开场合谈论私人的秘密。不过话说，我觉得 Daisy 和 Tom 可不会在院子里谈论自己家里的事儿。

Rob

But I could hear what was going on.

Feifei

Are you sure? Because I spoke to Daisy and she said their washing machine had broken down and they were actually washing their clothes outdoors, in the garden. I think the noise was just them having a laugh.

Rob

But what about Daisy saying she was going to hang Tom out to dry?

Feifei

I think she meant she was going to hang Tom's clothes out to dry. 你就别再瞎操心了，and then you won't hear people washing their dirty linen in public – either literally or metaphorically!

Rob

Thanks for the advice Feifei. Bye.

Feifei

Bye.