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throw cold water on meaning in Hindi

idiomAsked 3× in SSC · latest SSC Steno 2026 T-1Idioms & Phrases
throw cold water on idiom

Meaning: To discourage or dampen enthusiasm for a plan or idea.

Hindi: किसी योजना पर निराशा व्यक्त करना / हतोत्साहित करना

Synonyms: discourage, dampen, dishearten, deter

Antonyms: encourage, support

Asked in: SSC Steno 2026 T-1 · SSC Selection Post Ph-13 2025 · SSC CGL 2025 T-1

throw cold water on in SSC previous-year questions

  1. SSC Selection Post Ph-13 2025 Idioms & Phrases

    Choose the correct meaning of the given idiom/phrase from the options:
    "Throw cold water on something"

    Answer & explanation

    Answer: A) To discourage

    The idiom 'Throw cold water on something' means to discourage or dampen enthusiasm for a plan or idea.
    Option 1 (To discourage) is correct as it accurately conveys the idiomatic meaning.
    Option 2 (To cool down) is wrong because it is a literal interpretation, not the idiom's meaning.
    Option 3 (To wash something) is wrong as it is unrelated to the figurative meaning.
    Option 4 (To celebrate) is wrong because it is the opposite of discouraging.

  2. SSC CGL 2025 T-1 Idioms & Phrases

    Choose the correct meaning of idiom: 'Throw cold water on'

    Answer & explanation

    Answer: B) To oppose or discourage

    'Throw cold water on' means to discourage or dampen enthusiasm for something.
    Example: His boss threw cold water on his new idea.
    Answer: To oppose or discourage

  3. SSC Steno 2026 T-1 Idioms & Phrases

    Choose the correct meaning of the idiom:
    Throw cold water on

    Answer & explanation

    Answer: C) Discourage an idea

    Meaning: throw cold water on = to discourage an idea or plan, to dampen enthusiasm for it *(उत्साह ठंडा करना, हतोत्साहित करना)*.
    The picture is literal enough — cold water put out a fire, and the fire here is somebody's eagerness.
    The manager threw cold water on the proposal, and the team dropped it.
    Why the others are wrong.
    • Encourage a plan = to support and hearten it *(प्रोत्साहित करना)* — the exact opposite of what cold water does.
    • Make something successful = to cause it to succeed *(सफल बनाना)* — again the reverse sense.
    • Celebrate a success = to rejoice over an achievement *(सफलता का जश्न मनाना)* — the idiom kills a plan, it does not mark a win.
    Word help.
    dampen = to reduce or de

Examples

throw cold water on – questions

What is the meaning of throw cold water on in Hindi?

throw cold water on means “किसी योजना पर निराशा व्यक्त करना / हतोत्साहित करना” in Hindi. In English: To discourage or dampen enthusiasm for a plan or idea.

What are the synonyms of throw cold water on?

Synonyms of throw cold water on: discourage, dampen, dishearten, deter.

What is the opposite of throw cold water on?

Antonyms of throw cold water on: encourage, support.

Has throw cold water on been asked in SSC exams?

Yes – throw cold water on has been asked 3 times in SSC exams: SSC Steno 2026 T-1, SSC Selection Post Ph-13 2025, SSC CGL 2025 T-1.

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