damp squibDISAPPOINTED British EnglishBrE informal something that is intended to be exciting, effective etc, but which is disappointing 〔未达到预期效果而〕使人失望的事;湿水爆竹damp squib• The fireworks display that heralded the opening of Antwerp 93 went off like a damp squib.• The traditional Easter turkey boom - the second biggest after Christmas - was a damp squib because hard-up families bought cheaper chickens.
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