climb down
Noun
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Noun
climb down (plural climb downs)
- (idiomatic, sometimes, hyphenated) An abandonment, withdrawal from, or softening of a previously expressed opinion, policy, argument, etc.
- 2003 Aug. 7, "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g-hRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hHADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2452,4529968&dq=the-climb-down&hl=en Hope for Korea]," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p. A20 (retrieved 30 June 2011):
- It is interesting to speculate on what combination of factors acted within the Bush administration to bring about the climb-down from its previous position.
- 2003 Sep. 27, "Mulyam shows his ‘secular’ face again, hits out at BJP ↗," India Times (retrieved 30 June 2011):
- His climb-down from the "hard, secular" image was mainly to widen his support base.
- 2010 April 24, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20100426155114/http://www.torontosun.com/comment/editorial/2010/04/23/13700266.html Editorial: Dalton McGuinty schooled on sex ed]," Toronto Sun (Canada) (retrieved 30 June 2011):
- Hours before his climb down, the premier's own cabinet ministers had vigorously defended the curriculum.
- 2003 Aug. 7, "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g-hRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hHADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2452,4529968&dq=the-climb-down&hl=en Hope for Korea]," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p. A20 (retrieved 30 June 2011):
- Used other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see climb, down
- It took 4 hours to climb up, and just 2 to climb down.
- (idiomatic, sometimes followed by from) To abandon, withdraw from, or soften a previously expressed opinion, argument, etc.
- 1992 July 27, Paul Lewis, "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QgghAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hXYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2404,5929387&dq=climbed-down+-from&hl=en Inspectors begin search in Baghdad]," The Day (Connecticut, USA), p. A5 (retrieved 30 June 2011):
- But Ekeus said Iraq had climbed down in its confrontation with the UN.
- 1993 May 24, Michael Kramer, "[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,978583,00.html The Political Interest: Drawing a Line in the Quicksand]," Time:
- No, but it may be a way for Clinton to climb down from a policy he seems increasingly to view as a no-win proposition.
- 2001 June 7, Morton Kondracke, "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a_ohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TqMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1228,4426950&dq=climbing-down-from&hl=en Quit arguing and develop policy to end energy woes]," Reading Eagle (USA), p. B9 (retrieved 30 June 2011):
- If they are interested in climbing down from their oppositionism, Democrats ought to consult the Progressive Policy Institute, which has been critical of Bush, but which is developing a balanced, positive approach to the energy crisis.
- 1992 July 27, Paul Lewis, "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QgghAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hXYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2404,5929387&dq=climbed-down+-from&hl=en Inspectors begin search in Baghdad]," The Day (Connecticut, USA), p. A5 (retrieved 30 June 2011):
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