APAD: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

本帖於 2025-09-03 07:06:38 時間, 由普通用戶 最西邊的島上 編輯

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Definition:
Stuck between two awful choices; having two poor alternatives.

Origin:
This expression has existed since at least the 1600s. This expression doesn’t have to do with the devil of the Bible but to a seam around a ship’s hull near the water.

When a sailor attempted to caulk this seam in heavy seas, he was in serious danger of failing overboard and drowning. Of course, if he didn’t caulk the seam, the ship could fill with water and sink. In other words, the sailor was faced with two awful choices: risk his life to repair the ship or risk the entire ship by not repairing the ship.

Example:
It is a high meeting place of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, Europe and Africa, sanctity and sin, where men and women have long set out to find themselves between the devil and the deep blue sea.New York Times

- https://writingexplained.org/idiom-dictionary/between-the-devil-and-the-deep-blue-sea# with editing
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I still remember the very first time when I saw the ocean.  

It was during the summer break of my second University year, I went to 北戴河 with a group of fellow students. The moment when my eyes met the ocean, I froze and everything else disappeared ... ...

I felt power, energy, peace all at the same time, and I can never be lonely when at the ocean.

I do understand the meaning of "between a rock and hard place", but if I was asked to choose between “the devil and the deep blue sea”, I would happily jump into the blue sea without a second thought! 加油

Wish you all a happy Wednesday at the end of a hot summer.

ps. I took this sunset photo in 2009 (with my 1st digital point & shoot camera), at Long Beach in Tofino, the largest and longest beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on 最西邊的島上 鬼臉

 

所有跟帖: 

Forget the devil & the sea, it could've been much worse :-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 08:24:28

What is it then? Dante's inferno? -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 08:32:26

That's nothing compared with the great Cultural Revolution. -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 08:36:42

Got ya.Yes, those were terribleTimes&wish never happen again -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 08:48:59

And there're lots of it in "Wild Swans". Sigh ... -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 08:51:09

When the sea is calm, it's charming.When it's dark& stormy, -暖冬cool夏- 給 暖冬cool夏 發送悄悄話 暖冬cool夏 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 09:51:33

it is a devil. We mostly see its beautiful side:)Nice sunset -暖冬cool夏- 給 暖冬cool夏 發送悄悄話 暖冬cool夏 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 09:54:07

U r so right 暖冬!My view's often 2 ideal (& simple :-). Thx! -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 10:08:15

Oh, justRemembered I can't swim4long (don't tell the ocean) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 10:12:06

I cannot even swim. Don't tell the ocean:)) -暖冬cool夏- 給 暖冬cool夏 發送悄悄話 暖冬cool夏 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 11:34:33

Okay, my lips are sealed :-)) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 11:54:23

What if in the context of a whale? -移花接木- 給 移花接木 發送悄悄話 移花接木 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 10:45:16

Ha, what a clever thought! A whale would b dead w/o blue sea -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 10:51:59

Moby Dick the devil himself :-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 14:08:40

"Call me Ishmael":-), learned. Thx. We’re having so much fun -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 14:39:47

learning together!!! Wish all “a whale of a time” today! :-) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 14:48:19

It was also in 北戴河 when I first time saw ocean , a few years -天邊一片白雲- 給 天邊一片白雲 發送悄悄話 天邊一片白雲 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 12:27:27

after I started working. an astonishing sunset picture. -天邊一片白雲- 給 天邊一片白雲 發送悄悄話 天邊一片白雲 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 12:30:22

Thx白雲! Did U see sunrise over the ocean in北戴河?We wereUp @4am -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 13:38:58

2 see the Sun jumping out of the sea, what a magical moment! -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 13:41:20

Didn’t have a camera then, so U’ve 2 trust my honestWords:-) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 13:45:39

No. Went there late -天邊一片白雲- 給 天邊一片白雲 發送悄悄話 天邊一片白雲 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 16:02:41

A worst-case scenario. Let's pray for divine intervention. -jeffnaper- 給 jeffnaper 發送悄悄話 jeffnaper 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 15:13:16

My God is Mother Nature & Yes, she’s with us everywhere IMHO -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 16:59:00

APAD: One touch of nature makes the whole world kin!! -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 09/03/2025 postreply 16:59:29

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