poison the well

idiomPart ofwell

poison the well — idiom

1. to say unpleasant things about someone or something early in a discussion so tha

1.idiom
Definition

to say unpleasant things about someone or something early in a discussion so that other people form a negative opinion of them before they can speak for themselves.

Example

By spreading rumours before the meeting, Nicholas poisoned the well against the new manager.

Critics poisoned the well by leaking false reviews before the film was released.