send packing
Related to send packing: off chance, gunning for, turned a corner
send (one) packing
To dismiss or send one away rudely or abruptly. When it became clear he was only interested in making a profit for himself, we sent him packing. I was only five minutes late, but the boss sent me packing nonetheless.
See also: packing, send
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
send someone packing
Fig. to send someone away; to dismiss someone, possibly rudely. I couldn't stand him anymore, so I sent him packing. The maid proved to be so incompetent that I had to send her packing.
See also: packing, send
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
send packing
To dismiss (someone) abruptly.
See also: packing, send
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
send packing, to
To dismiss summarily. The term has been around since the sixteenth century. Robert Browning used it in “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” (1842): “Sure as fate, we’ll send you packing.”
See also: send
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- send (one) packing
- send somebody packing
- send someone packing
- send someone about his or her business
- send about business
- send (one) about (one's) business
- send packing, to
- shut the door in (someone's) face
- barge in
- barge in on