| 释义 |
balls-to-the-wall, a. and adv.
Brit. |ˌbɔːlztʊðəˈwɔːl|, U.S. |ˌbɔlztəð(ə)ˈwɔl|, |ˌbɑlztəð(ə)ˈwɑl|
Forms: 19– balls-to-the-wall, 19– balls-to-the-walls
[‹ the plural of ball n.1 + to prep. + the adj. + wall n.1 Originally with reference to the ball-shaped grips on the throttles of certain military aircraft (which were opened by being pushed forward towards the firewall), but in later use perhaps associated with ball n.1 12a. Perhaps compare also with one's back to the wall (see back n.1 25d).
In form balls-to-the-walls with substitution of the plural of wall n.1, apparently for the purposes of rhyme.]
and adv. slang (orig. U.S. Mil.). Unrestrained, aggressive, forceful; all-out, ‘full-throttle’. Cf. balls-out adv. and adj.
1967F. Harvey Air War xviii. 144 That first Doomsday Mission (as the boys call a big balls-to-the-wall raid) against Hanoi. 1981D. Morgan in A. Santoli Everything we Had 224 Twenty tanks..went balls to the wall up the Cua Viet River to cut the NVA off. 1992Nation 27 Apr. 567/1 The sheer balls-to-the-wall dynamics of the performance. 2005Frederick (Maryland) News-Post 24 Mar. 12/2 [A] balls-to-the-walls, blazing, we-don't-give-a-damn..attitude. |