| 释义 |
apple-cart
[apple B. 3 b.]
a. lit. A cart for carrying apples.
b. Phr. to upset the (or someone's) apple-cart, humorously used for ‘to cause an upset’; esp. to upset a person's plans, to ruin the undertaking. Also in similar expressions.
1788J. Belknap in Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. (1882) 5th Ser. III. 17 S. Adams had almost overset the apple-cart by intruding an amendment of his own fabrication on the morning of the day of ratification [of the Constitution]. 1796Grose Dict. Vulgar Tongue (ed. 3) s.v., Down with his apple-cart; knock or throw him down. 1834W. A. Caruthers Kentuckian in N.Y. I. 101 Smash my apple-cart, if there wasn't more crying..than I've seen at many an honest man's funeral. 1848in Hodder Life Shaftesbury (1887) xvii. 396 If the Prince goes on like this, why he'll upset our apple-cart. 1871G. P. R. Pulman Rustic Sketches (ed. 3) Gloss. 77 ‘Don't upsit th' apple-cart.’ That is—be careful you do not let fall anything carried. 1883Pall Mall Gaz. 26 Oct., If the Control had done more it might have upset the apple-cart altogether. 1897Review of Rev. Aug. 114 Somebody will lose patience, and then over will go the apple-cart. 1955Sci. Amer. Aug. 68/2 Names such as ammoniated tincture of valerian can safely be revealed to the patient without upsetting the psychological applecart. |