have the drains up

verb

To investigate the internals of a situation.

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Meanings

verbhave the drains up (third-person singular simple present has the drains up, present participle having the drains up, simple past and past participle had the drains up)

present singular third person has the drains up · participle present having the drains up · participle past had the drains up · past had the drains up

  1. To investigate the internals of a situation.

    So let's now have the drains up and have a good old look at some dodgy working practices that should have gone out with the ark.

    2008, Kevin Duncan, So What?, page 65
    1 more example

    I want you to have the drains up. Find out why there have been all these cock-ups. I want two reports. One the official confidential one to be sent up the line and kept on file, but between you and me I want to know more than that.

    2013, Ken Bridgewater, Open Verdict, page 52
Cite this entry
APA

have the drains up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20the%20drains%20up

MLA

“have the drains up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20the%20drains%20up. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “have the drains up,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20the%20drains%20up.

Source: have the drains up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.