Where the Red Fern Grows

Chapter 2

How does Billy’s father papa “pour cold water” on his idea? What does the word idiom mean

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Billy's father tells him that a neighbors collie is having pups, and he might be able to get one for him. "Pouring cold water" refers to bringing someone back to reality..... waking him up, and Billy wasn't giving up on this dream.

“Well, Billy,” he said, “I heard that Old Man Hatfield’s collie is going to have pups. I’m sure I can get one of them for you.”

He may as well have poured cold water on me. “Papa,” I said, “I don’t want an old collie dog. I want hounds—coon hounds —and I want two of them.”

An idiom is a phrase in which the figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning.

Source(s)

Where the Red fern Grows