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# not our finest hour

idiom (noun phrase: not our finest hour, not my finest hour, not his finest hour)

«not our finest hour» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

(euphemism, humorous) a bad failure, an embarrassing mistake or a shameful moment.

### In the lessons

People use it to admit a failure with humour and modesty, at work, in sport and in apologies. Humorous and polite register, all English-speaking countries; it plays on a famous phrase «their finest hour» meaning a time of great success.

### Examples

- Losing 7–0 was not our finest hour.
- Forgetting your own birthday party? Not your finest hour.
- I fell asleep in the meeting — not my finest hour.
- The company admitted the data leak was not its finest hour.
- Our school play was not our finest hour: the scenery fell down.
- Mate, throwing up on the bus was not your finest hour.

### Note

It does not mean the event lasted an hour. It is an understatement: the event was bad. Plain words: failure, embarrassment, mess.