spoil-sport
[f. spoil-.]
One who acts so as to spoil the sport or plans of others.
| 1801 M. Edgeworth Belinda I. iii. 97 Harriot swore at the colonel, for the veriest spoil-sport she had ever seen. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxviii, Mike Lambourne was never a make-bate, or a spoil-sport, or the like. 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho! xxx, Spoil-sports! The father of all manner of troubles on earth, be they noxious trade of croakers! 1886 G. Allen Maimie's Sake xi, Before that spoil-sport Hetty came in and so rudely interrupted us. |
| attrib. 1886 Pall Mall G. 5 Nov. 4/2 He..was prevented..by a spoil-sport Adelaide merchant. |
Hence
spoil sport v. intr., to behave as a spoil-sport.
| 1869 Taylor & Dubourg New Men & Old Acres iii. 72 Brown. I'm locked in... Let me out. Lilian. (Unlocking door{ddd}) What was that for? Brown. (Laughing.) For fear I might spoil sport. 1946 K. Tennant Lost Haven (1947) xvii. 285 He did not want to spoil sport; he wanted the whole gang. |