dine on ashes

verb

To mope over past defeats or failures.

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Meanings

verbdine on ashes (third-person singular simple present dines on ashes, present participle dining on ashes, simple past and past participle dined on ashes)

present singular third person dines on ashes · participle present dining on ashes · participle past dined on ashes · past dined on ashes

  1. idiomaticTo mope over past defeats or failures.

    Yet again his studies could not relieve the sense of defeat. He could not help dining on ashes. How long had he struggled on this stupid thesis?

    2013, Richard Black, A Cross in Time, page 16
    1 more example

    His redemptive power — propels us forward. It will not allow us to continue dining on ashes. The journey is yet before us, with Him. There is yet much to be done. There are many successes yet before us, and He calls us to move toward them.

    2009, Charles Westbrook, Fresh Daily, page 25
Cite this entry
APA

dine on ashes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dine%20on%20ashes

MLA

“dine on ashes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dine%20on%20ashes. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dine on ashes,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dine%20on%20ashes.

Source: dine on ashes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.