revert to old habits; backslide
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to backslide; to fall back into old habits; to revert to one's old self
formalUsed to describe a person who had improved or changed but then returns to their former, usually negative, ways. It implies disappointment or resignation.
Tā他
jiè戒
jiǔ酒
sān三
gè个
yuè月
，
zuì最
jìn近
yòu又
gù故
tài态
fù复
méng萌
，
kāi开
shǐ始
xù酗
jiǔ酒
。
He quit drinking for three months, but recently he has backslid and started drinking heavily again.
Gōng公
sī司
zhěng整
dùn顿
hòu后
hǎo好
le了
yī一
zhèn阵
，
méi没
xiǎng想
dào到
guǎn管
lǐ理
céng层
hěn很
kuài快
yòu又
gù故
tài态
fù复
méng萌
，
huí回
dào到
lǎn懒
sǎn散
de的
zhuàng状
tài态
。
The company improved for a while after the reorganization, but unexpectedly, the management quickly reverted to their old, sloppy ways.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Bié别
zhǐ指
wàng望
tā他
néng能
chè彻
dǐ底
gǎi改
diào掉
tuō拖
yán延
de的
máo毛
bìng病
，
tā他
zǒng总
huì会
gù故
tài态
fù复
méng萌
。
Don't expect him to completely get rid of his habit of procrastination; he always backslides.