[hold] water
1
(of an argument, theory, etc.) to be believable or supported by evidence
The origin of the idiom "hold water" can be traced back to the early 17th century in English. The expression originally referred to the ability of a container to hold water without leaking. If a container could "hold water," it was considered reliable and functional. This expression is now used to evaluate the validity, logic, or soundness of an argument, explanation, or statement.
- I'm not convinced by his explanation; it just doesn't hold water.
- Her theory may sound good, but it doesn't hold water when you examine the evidence.
- The proposal seems promising, but we need to see if it holds water in practice.
- Your plan needs to be more comprehensive if it's going to hold water.
- The detective's theory didn't hold water when all the facts were considered.