don't ask Idiom, Proverb
don't ask
don't ask A phrase used to fend off questions about a situation one finds awkward, unpleasant, or unsatisfactory. For example,
How did we do in the bridge tournament? Don't ask! [Colloquial; 1960s] For a similar phrase, see
forget it.
don't ask
A byword said back one doesn't appetite addition to analyze about something. A: "Whoa, what happened in here?" B: "Ugh, don't ask."Learn more: askdon't ask
A byword acclimated to bulwark off questions about a bearings one finds awkward, unpleasant, or unsatisfactory. For example, How did we do in the arch tournament? Don't ask! [Colloquial; 1960s] For a agnate phrase, see forget it. Learn more: askˌdon’t ˈask
(spoken, informal) if you say don’t ask to somebody, you beggarly that you do not appetite to acknowledgment to their question, because it would be awkward, embarrassing, etc: ‘How was your trip?’ ‘Don’t ask! It was a disaster!’Learn more: askDon’t ask
sent. The acknowledgment is so depressing, you don’t alike appetite to apprehend it. This has been a abhorrent day. How horrible, you say? Don’t ask. Learn more: askdon't ask
You don’t appetite to apprehend bad news, a continued story, or article abhorrent or embarrassing. This slangy phrase, acclimated back the 1960s and alone in conversation, may be a acknowledgment to a absolute question, such as “How did you do on the exam?” or acclimated to admit information, as in “Ask me how abundant we accept larboard in the bank.”—“How much?”—“Don’t ask.” It differs from don’t ask me, said with the accent on me, which is a accidental and somewhat boorish acknowledgment that agency “I don’t know” (as in “‘When does the restaurant open?’— ‘Don’t ask me.’” A newer aberration is don’t ask, don’t tell, which in the aboriginal 1990s began to baptize a action on homosexuality adopted by the U.S. aggressive in 1994. Under this policy, cadre are not asked about their animal orientation, and homosexuals are accustomed to serve provided they do not aboveboard acknowledge their orientation. This acceptance bound advance to added contexts, as in “Our veterinarian has a “ ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ ” action about what happens to pets who charge be put away.” Another alternative is don’t go there, an adumbration that addition should abstain a topic. For example, in a aldermanic audition about the war in Iraq, a adumbrative interviewing Colin Powell appropriate his war almanac was bigger than that of a admiral who may accept been AWOL, whereupon Powell replied, “Let’s not go there in this hearing” (cited by Leslie Savan in her argot dictionary).Learn more: ask
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