rain on someone's parade

First appeared around 1900.

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rain on someone's parade (third-person singular simple present rains on someone's parade, present participle raining on someone's parade, simple past and past participle rained on someone's parade)

1. (idiomatic) To spoil someone's celebration.
   • 2012 January 31, “Shah Rukh Khan, Shirish Kunder's drama ends”, in Times of India, Bollywood:

     Sanju Baba, we learn, is rather miffed at the way Kunder rained on his parade and took away the spotlight from Agneepath's success.

   • 2012 February 22, “European Stocks Fall on Worse-Than-Expected PMI Data; TUI Drops”, in Bloomberg Business Week:

     “Given that Europe is still shrouded by the cloud of recession, a weak PMI -- though not rain on the parade -- will surely damp investor sentiment,” said Manish Singh, the London-based head of investment at Crossbridge Capital

2. (figuratively) To disappoint or discourage someone by ruining or criticizing their plans or aspirations.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:put a damper on

   I hate to rain on your parade, but lots of people have tried that strategy and it hasn't worked yet.

   • 1964, Bob Merrill, Jule Styne, “Don't Rain on My Parade”, in Funny Girl, performed by Barbra Streisand:

     If someone takes a spill / It's me and not you / Who told you you're allowed / To rain on my parade?