A Stick-In-The-Mud, A Sight For Sore Eyes, Raining On Someone's Parade

A Stick-In-The-Mud
Figuratively, a stick-in-the-mud (usually written with hyphens and pronounced as if it is one long word) is a person whose behavior resembles, well, a stick (of wood) impaled in mud: someone who is resistant to being pulled into a productive activity. Such a person is a loner who does not like group activities or may be actively hostile to them. In vocabulary, a "grouch" is similar.

Example: "Carol was inviting co-workers to a party. However, she did not even bother trying to invite Paul to the party. Carol knew Paul was a stick-in-the-mud who hated parties; even if Paul could be convinced to go, he would ruin the party with his negative attitude. As a result, Carol did not invite him at all."

A Sight For Sore Eyes
"A sight for sore eyes" is something, or someone, that is a relief to see after a long absence.

A person who makes a journey to another country for an extended period of time will say this to express joy at returning home.

Example:
Howard is an American who has been working overseas, in Europe, for a period of ten months. Only now is he returning to the United States by airplane. As his plane flies to an international airport in New Jersey, he sees land through his window. He sees America.

In his mind, he thinks to himself, "That sure is a sight for sore eyes." Howard is happy to be back in America after so long.

Raining On Someone's Parade
To "rain on someone's parade" is to criticize someone when they are doing something that makes them happy, as if ruining a fun parade with a rainstorm. Example: "Bill rained on Janet's parade by badmouthing the graphics she did for the new ad campaign. She's quite upset about it; I mean, she woked so hard on those graphics."


➤ Read more idioms and phrases, English grammar and vocabulary at Basic English Grammar And Vocabulary .