| 释义 |
‖ pas devant les enfants|pɑ dəvɑ̃ lezɑ̃fɑ̃|
[F.]
Not in front of the children, used of an expression or action that requires discretion. Also transf. and ellipt., pas devant, and as adj.
1951N. Mitford Blessing i. xv. 153 ‘Adultery is for when you're older, darling.’ ‘Oh I see. A sort of pas devant thing?’ 1953D. Parry Going Up—Going Down i. 21 Mrs. Tyndale was holding forth in that extraordinary pas-devant French which the upper-class English used to speak so confidently. 1955L. P. Hartley Perfect Woman vii. 65 ‘There's something I want to say to you. Mais pas devant les enfants,’ he went on heavily. 1958M. Spark Robinson v. 51 ‘Pas devant,’ said Tom Wells, casting his eyes towards the child. 1962Listener 7 June 975/2 There is a sickening folklore of pas devant—‘not in front of the children’—which excludes children from some of the very conversations that would show their parents as people with strong interests. 1962Times 6 Aug. 9/3 It will be a mistake for the War Office to adopt a pas devant les enfants attitude. 1968J. Fleming Kill or Cure vii. 87 Pas devant les enfants; such bad form having rows before one's—friends. 1971O. Norton Corpse-Bird Cries v. 85 ‘Pas devant les opérateurs,’ I said. I knew what manual [telephone] exchanges can be. 1974J. Johnston How Many Miles to Babylon? 7 ‘Dr. Desmond is an ass.’ ‘Frederick, pas devant—.’ 1978D. Bloodworth Crosstalk xxxix. 311 You mean pas devant les enfants terribles..Not in front of the CIA? |