单词 | first catch your |
释义 | > as lemmasfirst catch your —— c. first catch your —— and variants: used as an instruction for, or ironic comment on, the (often difficult) preliminary step of a process. Cf. first catch your hare at hare n. 2. [Often thought to be in imitation of first catch your hare (and variants), but this is not recorded until 1806. Compare c1300 Bracton De Legibus Angliae iv. xxi.vulgariter dicitur, quod primo opportet cervum capere, & postea cum captus fuerit illum excoriare, ‘it is commonly said that one must first catch the deer, and afterwards, when he has been caught, skin him’.] ΚΠ 1797 Monthly Rev. May 117 This mode of precept reminds us of a recipe in an old book on the art of cookery:—how to dress a dolphin, ‘First catch a dolphin,’ &c. 1815 W. Irving Let. 21 July (1978) I. 402 As yet they have not observed the first direction in the famous receipt to cook a Turbot—‘first catch your Turbot’. 1912 Science 4 Oct. 422/2 You must first catch your comet before you can make comet investigations. a1966 M. Allingham Cargo of Eagles (1968) xx. 222 ‘The problem,’ continued Mr. Campion, ‘might be summed up as “First catch your Eagle”.’ 1995 Independent on Sunday 15 Jan. 28/1 First catch your flatworm. Losing no time, the Captain has spoken to the country's worm charmers. 2008 D. Veart (title) First catch your weka: the story of New Zealand cooking. < as lemmas |
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