(someone's) name is mud (Ô danh - tên tuổi bị dìm xuống bùn) Meaning: If someone's name is mud, other people are angry with them, or they're no longer popular, because they've done something wrong. Origin: Mud is exhaustively defined in the OED as "soft, moist, glutinous material resulting from the mixing of water with

soil, sand, dust,or other earthy matter". The word began to be used in a figurative sense as early as the 16th century to refer to things that were worthless or polluting. That usage was later extended to apply to people, as listed in the 1703 account of London's low life, Hell upon Earth:

Mud, a Fool, or thick skull Fellow.

For reasons that are difficult to fathom, 'mud' later began to be used as a general intensifier. In the 19th century there are many printed examples of 'as fat as mud', 'as rich as mud', 'as sick as mud' etc. The combination of meanings of 'decaying and worthless' and 'extremely' was enough for the association of it with someone's name to become an insult - hence 'your name is mud'.

As something that is at one extreme end of the scale, like 'good' or 'stupid', mud features in many English phrases - 'dragged through the mud', 'mud in your eye', 'as clear as mud' etc. The one that BP has most cause to hope isn't true is 'mud sticks'.

For example:

1. Vinnie's name is mud now because everyone thinks he was the one who stole the money.
2. If any athletes test positive for a banned substance, their name will be mud.

Her name is mud these days because she changed it she didn't clean up she was caught cheating

Click for answer c.

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Cập nhập lần cuối cùng lúc 8:30h ngày 5 tháng 10 2014
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