outstay one's welcome

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Verb edit

outstay one's welcome (third-person singular simple present outstays one's welcome, present participle outstaying one's welcome, simple past and past participle outstayed one's welcome)

  1. To stay as a guest longer than the host expected.
  2. (by extension) To become an unwelcome person because of embarrassing or antisocial behaviour.
    • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter VIII:
      “Do you often go looking for mice in other people's rooms?” “I wouldn't say often. Just when the spirit moves me, don't you know?” “I see. Well...” When people say “Well” to you like that, it usually means that they think you are outstaying your welcome and that the time has come to call it a day. She felt, I could see, that Woosters were not required in her son's sleeping apartment [...]

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