| 释义 |
Roman candle
[Roman a.1]
1. A cylindrical fire-work, which throws out a succession of stars.
1834Marryat P. Simple (1863) 51 There were silver stars and golden stars, blue lights and Catherine-wheels,..Grecian-fires and Roman-candles. 1859F. A. Griffiths Artil. Man. (1861) 280 The signal rocket stars are also the best for Roman candles.
2. A parachute jump on which the parachute fails to open; a parachute which fails to open. Also (in full Roman candle landing) an unsatisfactory landing by an aircraft. slang.
1943Hunt & Pringle Service Slang 56 Roman candles. ‘When a parachute simply fails to open. (Of course, on landing, you dash to the stores and get another.)’ 1943C. H. Ward-Jackson Piece of Cake 52 Roman candle landing, a bad landing. 1952Chambers's Jrnl. May 261/2 It is not so very long ago since parachute-jumping was a stunt indulged in by steel-nerved men of boundless courage performing in air circuses. In those days, the sight of some hapless individual streaming to earth with a ‘Roman candle’ (an undeveloped 'chute) was not exceptional. 1959Chambers's 20th Cent. Dict. Add. 1389/1 Roman candle, a bad landing by aeroplane: a landing by parachute when the parachute fails to open.—v.i. to make such a landing. 1961E. Waugh Unconditional Surrender ii. v. 141 The first thing the commandant asked when I reported Crouchback's accident. ‘A Roman Candle?’ he asked. 1976A. White Long Silence vii. 59, I experienced the sense of relief that says, ‘This time, no roman candle!’
3. A Roman Catholic. slang.
1941G. Kersh They die with their Boots Clean ii. 57 There's services for C. of E-ers and Roman Candles. 1959I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolch. xvi. 344 In Staines, Catholics are ‘Roman Candles’, and R.C. children call the Protestants ‘Old Proddy Dogs’. 1974P. Haines Tea at Gunter's ii. 18 She said: ‘I've noticed you lots—you're a Roman candle, aren't you?’ ‘What?’..‘R.C., silly.’
Hence Roman-ˈcandle v. intr., to make a parachute jump with a parachute that fails to open.
1959[see sense 2 above]. 1975tr. Melchior's Sleeper Agent (1976) iii. 230 He had roman-candled! The chute had not opened! He was plunging toward oblivion. |