English

Verb

send someone to the showers

1. (idiomatic, sports) To remove a player from a particular team competition before the conclusion of the event, especially because that player's contribution on this occasion has been below his or her expected level of performance.
   • 2004 Sept. 29, "Mariners game at a glance," Seattle Post-Intelligencer (retrieved 8 July 2014):

     [H]e was able to pitch out of trouble until the eighth, when a single by LF Randy Winn and double by 2B Bret Boone sent him to the showers.

   • 2010 July 5, Mark Viera, "Reds 8, Mets 6: Pelfrey Comes Undone After a Reversed Call," New York Times (retrieved 8 July 2014):

     The umpires’ ruling precipitated a wild protest . . . and three straight run-scoring hits off Pelfrey that sent him to the showers after a six-run inning.

   • 2013 Nov. 20, Kevin Garside, "England 0 Germany 1," The Independent (UK) (retrieved 8 July 2014):

     Gerrard was sent to the showers 10 minutes into the second half, replaced by his Liverpool team-mate Jordan Henderson.

   • 2014 Feb. 9, Roger Rubin, "Marcus Smart, Texas Tech fan shove fiasco handled poorly," New York Daily News (retrieved 8 July 2014):

     Orr, in the first row behind the photographers, said something and Smart stepped to him and pushed him with both hands. . . . Sending Smart to the showers—or instructing arena security to eject the fan—would have been a move in the name of safety.

2. (idiomatic, by extension) To remove or expel someone from a job, position, or activity, especially because of poor behavior or performance.
   • 1941 Feb. 3, "Government: FTC Boner," Time (retrieved 8 July 2014):

     The Federal Trade Commission in recent years has seldom struck out. . . . But last fortnight the FTC was caught way off base, sent red-faced to the showers.

   • 1991 July 7, Newsweek Staff, "Chief Of Staff Edition," Newsweek (retrieved 8 July 2014):

     Lucky John Sununu. . . . Given the thin bench of replacements, no wonder Bush doesn't want to send him to the showers.

   • 2012 March 21, Rick Ungar, "RyanCare 2.0-Still Shifting Health Care Costs Onto The Backs Of Our Elderly," Forbes (retrieved 8 July 2014):

     Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) has returned. . . . Having been sent to the showers during last year’s disastrous campaign to place the nation’s seniors on a voucher program, Ryan is back.

   • 2014 April 29, Mitch Lawrence, "Donald Sterling's racist behavior has been habitual for years," New York Daily News (retrieved 8 July 2014):

     Silver needed to be bold and decisive and he was unquestionably both in sending the lout Donald Sterling to the showers with a lifetime ban on Tuesday.

See also

• send someone packing