dust yourself off
Get back up
To dust yourself off is to recover composure after a setback or failure.
The image comes from literally brushing dirt from your clothes after a fall—you get back up, clean yourself off, and continue.
After losing the election, she dusted herself off and started planning her next campaign.
Often appears in the fuller phrase "pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again."
- brush offDismissive rejection of someone
- shake offRemove by vigorous motion
- get back upResume standing position
- recoverRegain health or possession
- bounce backRecover from difficulty
back on your feet · resilience · start again · fall down · stumble · setback · grit · determination · try again · persevere · tough it out · roll with the punches · dirt · wipe clean · wipe the slate clean · stand tall · move on · fresh start
dust yourself offwallow
Roll around in mud
give up · throw in the towel · quit · succumb · surrender
dust yourself offquit
Cease doing something
surrender · fold · cave in · admit defeat · lose heart
dust, yourself, dusted, dusting, dusty, dustier, dustiest, dustiness, duster