LIVE DOWN

v. To remove (blame, distrust or unfriendly laughter) by good conduct; cause (a mistake or fault) to be forgiven or forgotten by not repeating it. John's business failure hurt him for a long time, but in the end he lived it down. Frank was rather a bad boy, but he lived it down as he grew up. Sandra called her principal the wrong name at the banquet, in front of everyone, and she thought she would never live it down.