send someone to the showers

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send someone to the showers (third-person singular simple present sends someone to the showers, present participle sending someone to the showers, simple past and past participle sent someone to the showers)

1. (idiomatic, sports) To remove a player from a particular team competition before the conclusion of the event, especially because that player's contribution on this occasion has been below his or her expected level of performance.
   • 2004 September 29, “Mariners game at a glance”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 8 July 2014:

     [H]e was able to pitch out of trouble until the eighth, when a single by LF Randy Winn and double by 2B Bret Boone sent him to the showers.

   • 2010 July 5, Mark Viera, “Reds 8, Mets 6: Pelfrey Comes Undone After a Reversed Call”, in New York Times, retrieved 8 July 2014:

     The umpires’ ruling precipitated a wild protest […] and three straight run-scoring hits off Pelfrey that sent him to the showers after a six-run inning.

   • 2013 November 20, Kevin Garside, “England 0 Germany 1”, in The Independent, UK, retrieved 8 July 2014:

     Gerrard was sent to the showers 10 minutes into the second half, replaced by his Liverpool team-mate Jordan Henderson.

   • 2014 February 9, Roger Rubin, “Marcus Smart, Texas Tech fan shove fiasco handled poorly”, in New York Daily News, retrieved 8 July 2014:

     Orr, in the first row behind the photographers, said something and Smart stepped to him and pushed him with both hands. […] Sending Smart to the showers—or instructing arena security to eject the fan—would have been a move in the name of safety.

2. (idiomatic, by extension) To remove or expel someone from a job, position, or activity, especially because of poor behavior or performance.
   • 1941 February 3, “Government: FTC Boner”, in Time, retrieved 8 July 2014:

     The Federal Trade Commission in recent years has seldom struck out. […] But last fortnight the FTC was caught way off base, sent red-faced to the showers.

   • 1991 July 7, Newsweek Staff, “Chief Of Staff Edition”, in Newsweek, retrieved 8 July 2014:

     Lucky John Sununu. […] Given the thin bench of replacements, no wonder Bush doesn't want to send him to the showers.

   • 2012 March 21, Rick Ungar, “RyanCare 2.0-Still Shifting Health Care Costs Onto The Backs Of Our Elderly”, in Forbes, retrieved 8 July 2014:

     Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) has returned. […] Having been sent to the showers during last year’s disastrous campaign to place the nation’s seniors on a voucher program, Ryan is back.

   • 2014 April 29, Mitch Lawrence, “Donald Sterling's racist behavior has been habitual for years”, in New York Daily News, retrieved 8 July 2014:

     Silver needed to be bold and decisive and he was unquestionably both in sending the lout Donald Sterling to the showers with a lifetime ban on Tuesday.

• send someone packing