博文
(2009-11-02 11:10:02)
Bendoverbackwards(PW)tryveryhardHe’llbendoverbackwardstohelpanyofhisfriends.(MW)bendoverbackwardorbendoverbackwards:tomakeextremeefforts(yourdicitionary)Also,leanoverbackwards.Exertoneselftothefullestextent,asinDadbentoverbackwardssoasnottoembarrassStasia'snewboyfriend.Thisphrasetransfersthegymnasticfeatofabackbendtotakingagreatdealoftroubleforsomeoneorsomething.[c.1920]Alsoseeunderfallallover.(f...[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:09:20)
Behindtheeightball(PW)introubleMydepartmentislateonitsdealine.Wearebehindtheeightball.(MW)behindtheeightball:inahighlydisadvantageousposition(freedictionary)behindtheeightball1.Fig.introuble;inaweakorlosingposition.(Alludestotheeightballinpool,whichincertaingamescannotbetouchedwithoutpenalty.*Typically:be~;get~;havesomeone~;putsomeone~.)I'mbehindtheeightballagainandcan'tseehowtorelievemydilemma.Jo...[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:08:29)
Beattherap(PW)escapepunishmentTherewasnotenoughevidencetoconvicthim,sohebeattherapandwassetfree.(MW)toescapeorevadethepenaltiesconnectedwithanaccusationorcharge(dictionary)beattherap,Slang.tosucceedinevadingthepenaltyforacrime;beacquitted:Thedefendantcalmlyinsistedthathewouldbeattherap.taketherap,Slang.totaketheblameandpunishmentforacrimecommittedbyanother:Hetooktherapfortheburglary.(yourdictionar...[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:07:59)
Beatsomeonetothepunch(PW)dosomethingbeforesomeoneelsecanShewasgoingtobuythelastreddressthatthestorehad,butIbeathertothepunchandboughtitatfirst.(thePhraseFinder)Boxing.Landingapunchfirst.Ifeelasongcomingon:YouBeatMeToThePunch
MaryWellsThatday,Ifirstsawyoupassingby
Iwanted,toaskyournamebutI...wasmuchtooshy
ButIwaslookingatyousohard
Thatyoumusthavehadahunch.
Soyoucameuptomeandaske...[閱讀全文]
MaryWellsThatday,Ifirstsawyoupassingby
Iwanted,toaskyournamebutI...wasmuchtooshy
ButIwaslookingatyousohard
Thatyoumusthavehadahunch.
Soyoucameuptomeandaske...[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:06:49)
Beataroundthebush(PW)avoidgivingaclearanswerIdidn’twanttohurthisfeelingsandtellhimthathewasn’tselectedfortheteam.SowhenheaskedmeifIhadanyinformation,Ibasicallybeataroundthebush.(MW)beataboutthebushorbeataroundthebush:tofailorrefusetocometothepointindiscourse(thePhraseFinder)MeaningToprevaricateandavoidcomingtothepoint.OriginThefigurativemeaningwehaveforthisphrasehasevolvedfromtheearliermeaning,w...[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:05:31)
Bebesideone’sself(PW)beveryupsetIwassomadwhenIheardthatshewasmakingupstoriesaboutmethatIwasbesidemyself.(MW)inastateofextremeexcitement(dictionary)almostoutofone'ssensesfromastrongemotion,asfromjoy,delight,anger,fear,orgrief:Hewasbesidehimselfwithragewhenthetrainleftwithouthim.(freedictionary)besideoneself(withsomething)Fig.inanextremestateofsomeemotion.Iwasbesidemyselfwithjoy.Sarahcouldnotspeak....[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:04:48)
Bawlout(PW)reprimandTheteamwasbawledoutaftertheylostthegame.(MW)toreprimandloudlyorseverely(freedictionary)bawlsomeoneouttoscoldsomeoneinaloudvoice.Theteacherbawledthestudentoutforarrivinglate.Principalsdon'tusuallybawloutstudents.(yourdictionary)1.Calloutloudly,announce,asinSomeoftheplayerswerequitehardofhearing,sotherectorbawledoutthebingonumbers.[1500s]2.Scoldorreprimandloudly,asinHerteacherwas...[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:04:22)
Bataneyelash(PW)showemotionHewasfilledwithemotionduringhisspeech,butshedidn’tbataneyelash.(thePhraseFinder)Infalconry,whenafalconorhawk"bats,"thebirdfluttersitwings,"eitherfromthepearchorthemansfist,striuingasitweretoflieaway."orsosaidSimonLathaminthebooknowknownasLatham'sFalconry(1615).Inthe19thcentury,andpresumablyforsomeperiodearlier,battingoneseyesoreyelasheswasasimilarfluttering,likerapidser...[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:03:40)
Batathousand(wiktionary)Verb(baseball,idiomatic)Toreachfirstbaseoneveryat-bat.(idiomatic)Toachievesuccessateachattempt.He'sbattingathousandsofarwiththenewboss.(idiomatic)Toachieveperfection.Noonecanbatathousandforthewholeseason.Synonymsbatonethousandtwofortwo(It'sfrombaseballjargon.Yougottwohitsintwoat-bats.You'vehadtwoopportunities,andsucceededbothtimes.Inbaseball,youcouldbeone-for-one,three-for-...[閱讀全文]
(2009-11-02 11:02:25)
Barkupthewrongtree(PW)makeawrongchoiceorafalseassumptionIfhethinksthatIamgoingtohelphimpainthishouse,wellhe’sbarkingupthewrongtree.(MW)topromoteorfollowamistakencourse(asindoingresearch)(freedictionary)Fig.tomakethewrongchoice;toaskthewrongperson;tofollowthewrongcourse.(Alludestoadoginpursuitofananimal,wheretheanimalisinonetreeandthedogisbarkingatanothertree.)IfyouthinkI'mtheguiltyperson,you'reba...[閱讀全文]
