| 单词 | neither fish, flesh, nor fowl |
| 释义 | > as lemmasneither fish, flesh, nor fowl P2. neither fish nor flesh (nor good red herring), also neither fish, flesh, nor fowl: i.e. neither one thing nor another; without the particular qualities (or merits) of either. to have other fish to fry: to have other business to attend to. to make fish of one and flesh (or fowl) of another: to make an invidious distinction; to show partiality. to cry stinking fish: see cry v. 5b(b). ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > insecure knowledge, uncertainty > [adjective] > of indeterminate character neither fish nor flesh (nor good red herring)1528 ambiguous1603 yea-and-nay1648 yea and nayish1777 borderline1937 the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > be occupied or busy (in or at something) [verb (intransitive)] > have business in hand > have other business to do to have other haft(s) in handc1325 to have other fish to fry1660 1528 Rede me & be nott Wrothe sig. i iijv Wone that is nether flesshe nor fisshe. 1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue i. x. sig. Ciiiv She is nother fishe nor fleshe nor good red hearyng. 1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 iii. iii. 127 Shees neither fish nor flesh, a man knowes not where to haue her. View more context for this quotation 1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. (1609) xxiv. xlv. 540 He had the party himselfe in jelousie and suspition, as one neither fish nor flesh, a man of no credit. 1605 N. Breton I pray you be not Angrie To Rdr. They that are neither of both, but betwixt both, neither Fish nor Flesh, but plaine Red-Hearing. 1660 J. Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 132 I fear he hath other fish to fry. 1683 J. Dryden & N. Lee Duke of Guise Epil. sig. A4v Damn'd Neuters, in their middle way of steering, Are neither Fish, nor Flesh, nor good Red-Herring. 1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 123 To me it seems..neither Fish nor Flesh, nor good Red Herring. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 165. ¶6 A Letter that was neither Fish, Flesh, nor good Red Herring. 1721 J. Kelly Compl. Coll. Scotish Prov. 220 I will not make Fish of one, and Flesh of another. ?1795 H. More Two Wealthy Farmers: Pt. I 18 I could make neither head nor tail of it. It was neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring. 1850 F. E. Smedley Frank Fairlegh liii A brat that's neither fish, flesh, nor fowl, nor good red herring. 1885 Manch. Examiner 21 May 5/2 This is making fish of one and fowl of another with a vengeance. 1889 M. Oliphant Poor Gentleman xliv ‘I've got other things in hand..I've got other fish to fry’. 1939 J. Fante Ask the Dust x. 105 You're dancing with a freak, an outcast from the world of man, neither fish, fowl, or good red herring. 1986 P. L. Fermor Between Woods & Water (1988) vii. 186 Among the rank and file of Catholics in Transylvania they [sc. Uniats] seemed somehow—and rather unfairly—neither flesh, fowl nor good red herring. 2004 Australian (Nexis) 18 Nov. 11 He has traded monarchism for republicanism, ditched the old Left for the new Right, and then moved on to something else altogether, something neither fish nor fowl, nor good red herring. < as lemmas |
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