| 单词 | a grey head upon green shoulders |
| 释义 | > as lemmasa grey head upon green shoulders (b) an old head on (also upon) young shoulders (formerly also †a grey head upon green shoulders): a personality or character (as manifested in attributes such as wisdom or staidness) apparent in a young person which would more usually be expected of an older person. Hence in analogous phrases, reversing or replacing old and young, expressing personal qualities, characteristics, etc., which confound or are at variance with expectations. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > common sense > be sensible [phrase] on one's feetOE an old head on (also upon) young shoulders1591 to know enough to come in out of the rain1599 to have the (good) sense to (do something)1620 to have a (good, wise, etc.) head on (also upon) one's shoulders1659 to know enough to come (or go) in when it rains1797 to come (also get) down to brass tacks (or nails)1897 the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > common sense > be sensible [phrase] > make sensible an old head on (also upon) young shoulders1591 1591 H. Smith Preparatiue to Mariage 15 It is not good grafting of an olde head vppon young shoulders, for they will neuer beare it willingly but grudgingly. a1679 M. Poole Annot. Holy Bible (1683) I. sig. L4v/2 One wise above his years, one that had a gray head, as we say, upon green shoulders. 1723 J. Sturmy Compromise iv. 52 Show him the impossibility of putting old Heads upon Young Shoulders. 1769 Hist. Miss Sommervile I. ii. 10 Old heads upon young shoulders, he confessed to me.., is his aversion. 1826 Lancet 25 Nov. 261/2 This is a matter of some difficulty,..‘to put a new head on old shoulders’. 1842 F. Marryat Percival Keene II. i. 98 You appear to have an old head upon very young shoulders. 1848 J. R. Lowell Fable for Critics (ed. 2) 27 His [sc. Emerson's] is, we may say, A Greek head on right Yankee shoulders. 1886 Sat. Rev. 6 Mar. 348/2 It is not invidious to say that M. Houssaye fils is no bad specimen of the grey head on green shoulders. 1910 Copper, Curb & Mining Outlook 1 June 20/3 An ability for organization which put a trained executive head on youthful shoulders. 1961 M. Spark Prime of Miss Jean Brodie i. 6 I am putting old heads on your young shoulders,..and all my pupils are the crème de la crème. 1989 S. Egoff in W. Ragsdale Sea of Upturned Faces iii. 35 Jasmin is forced to have an old head on young shoulders in her large, chaotic, demanding family with the additional care of a retarded brother. 2001 Scotsman (Nexis) 17 Jan. 7 The golden oldies may not be quite so nimble on their feet, but sometimes you just can't beat a young head on old shoulders. < as lemmas |
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