wear out one's welcome

Idioms & Phrases

wear out one's welcome

Visit for longer than one's host wants, as in She wanted to stay another few days but feared she would wear out her welcome. This expression uses wear out in the sense of "exhaust" or "use up." [Mid-1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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