| 单词 | to break ground |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto break (the) ground Phrases P1. to break bulk (cf. sense 2e): ‘to open the hold and take out goods thence’ ( Capt. Smith's Seaman's Gram. 1692); to destroy the completeness of a cargo by taking out a portion, to begin to unload. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > transportation by water > be transported by water [verb (intransitive)] > unload > partially to break bulk1575 1575 in Hist. Glasgow (1881) 117 Breking bowk [of a cargo]. 1587 St. Paper Office Domest. Corr. To bring them [ships] into this realme without breaking bulke. 1622 G. de Malynes Consuetudo 195 All Merchants ships being laden, haue alwaies..beene permitted to breake bulke below, or at Tilburie-Hope. 1668 A. Marvell Let. 18 Apr. in Poems & Lett. (1971) II. 73 An Impeachment..against Sr W: Penn for breaking bulke in the East India Prizes. 1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 106. ⁋2 Whether he would break Bulk, and sell his Goods by Retail. 1792 E. Burke On Negro Code in Wks. (1842) II. 424 The faithful execution of his part of the trust at the island where he shall break bulk. 1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. v. 51 He was breaking casks out of the hold. 1883 Times 24 Mar. 6 The whole [cargo of tea] can be sampled and sold the moment the steamer breaks bulk. P2. to break new ground: to make progress (esp. in knowledge) by using previously uninvestigated material on a subject, or by exploring a new aspect of or approach to a subject. ΚΠ a1631 J. Donne To Ben Jonson in Compl. Poems (1872) II. i. 99 Nor is such follower of those ancients found As thou, who, following, darest break new ground. 1857 Littell's Living Age 2 May 316 The drama he seems to have given up... Why not break new ground in literary biography? 1878 Catholic World Nov. 164 Wherever we go now, if we leave Paris we shall be breaking new ground. 1899 Econ. Jrnl. 9 213 In breaking new ground statistically, it is almost always the facts of once date that must serve. 1928 Nation & Athenæum 7 Jan. 537/2 Montesquieu..had been the first to break the new ground. 1957 Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 359/1 Our artists have found in greyish crackled porcelain a background for painting that inspires them to break new ground. 1970 Guardian 27 Feb. 8/5 Those were days of high adventure: every programme was a first..breaking new ground. 1993 Locus Oct. 27/2 This novel suffers seriously from sequelitis, covering very little new ground and getting overly emotional about the past. P3. to break (the) ground (cf. 5a): a. To dig through the surface of ground, especially when covered with turf; to plough up ground for the first time, or after it has lain long in pasture. See also to break up 6 at Phrasal verbs. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > breaking up land > ploughing > plough (of person) [verb (intransitive)] > plough for first time to break (the) ground1712 1712 H. Prideaux Direct. Church-wardens (ed. 4) 76 The Fee for breaking the soil [for a grave] belongs to them. 1888 N.E.D. at Break Mod. (U.S.) It takes three farm-horses of good weight to break prairie-land. b. Of an army: To begin digging trenches. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > defence > defensive work(s) > earthwork or rampart > build rampart [verb (intransitive)] > dig trenches to break (the) ground1678 to dig in1917 1678 London Gaz. No. 1320/3 We hear the French are breaking ground, as if they intended a formal Siege. 1810 Duke of Wellington Dispatches (1838) VI. 200 The enemy broke ground before Ciudad Rodrigo on the night before last. c. figurative. To commence operations, take the first steps, do pioneer work. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > undertaking > beginning action or activity > begin action or activity [verb (intransitive)] > make a beginning in some enterprise beginc1200 to break the ice?1553 to break (the) ground1709 to set (or start) the ball rolling1770 to strike the first blow1849 1709 London Gaz. No. 4555/3 Last Night we broke Ground. 1834 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 35 792 They have broken no ground from which they have not been driven. 1841 T. Carlyle On Heroes i. 3 Could I..thus, as it were, not exhaust my subject, but so much as break ground on it! 1857 T. De Quincey R. Bentley (rev. ed.) in Select. Grave & Gay VI. 56 One of these who first broke ground as a pioneer in the great field of Natural Philosophy. d. Nautical. ‘Break-ground. Beginning to weigh, or to lift the anchor from the bottom.’ Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. ΚΠ 1751 W. Beawes Lex Mercatoria Rediviva 116 If..the Ship..breaks Ground, and arrives at her Port. e. Boxing. (See quot. 1897.) ΚΠ 1889 E. B. Michell Boxing in W. H. Pollock et al. Fencing (Badminton Libr. of Sports & Pastimes) 154 The proper style of breaking ground or shifting, or slipping, is by movements to the right. 1897 Earl of Suffolk et al. Encycl. Sport I. 139/1 Break ground, to take up a fresh position to the right or left. P4. to break the ice: see ice n. Phrases 2. P5. to break square, or squares [of uncertain origin: compare 2e] : to interrupt or violate the regular order; commonly in the proverbial phrase, it breaks no square, i.e. does no harm, makes no mischief, does not matter. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > violate regularity [verb (intransitive)] to break square, or squares1570 1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) II. 1152/2 The missyng of a few yeares in this matter, breaketh no great square in our story. 1594 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. II. 116 There are but fewe that breake not square oftener in eating and drinking too much then to litle. 1633 G. Herbert Discharge in Temple vii Man and the present fit! if he provide [i.e. look into the future], He breaks the square. 1640 T. Fuller Joseph's Coat 173 Would so small a matter have broken any squares? 1671 J. Dryden Evening's Love iii. 38 'Tis no matter; this shall break no squares betwixt us. 1760 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy II. v. 35 This fault, in Trim, broke no squares with 'em. P6. to break wind: to void wind from the stomach or bowels. [But compare brake v.5 to void from the stomach.] ΚΠ 1540 D. Lindsay Satyre 7624 I lay braikand like ane brok. 1540 D. Lindsay Satyre 4367 Sche blubbirt, bokkit, and braikit still.] 1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Belke, or bolke, or breake wynde vpwarde. 1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars 171 He would give folke leave to breake winde downward and let it goe even with a crack at the very bourd. a1610 J. Healey tr. Theophrastus Characters 45 in tr. Epictetus Manuall (1636) He lying along, belcheth or breaketh wind. 1791 ‘P. Pindar’ Lousiad: Canto III 43 Had the Thund'rer but broke wind. P7. to break even: a. intransitive. In Faro (see quot. 1909). U.S. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > games of chance played with cards > [verb (intransitive)] > specific bet in faro to break even1909 1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. (at cited word) To break even, in faro, to bet that each card will win or lose an even number of times on the deal. b. To emerge from a transaction, enterprise, etc., with balancing gains and losses. Originally U.S. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > financial dealings > types of money-dealing > [verb (intransitive)] > other types of money dealing to bargain and sell1768 hedge1909 to break even1914 to wash its face1946 disinvest1961 reintermediate1979 pitch1980 divest1984 1914 S. Lewis Our Mr. Wrenn ii. 33 To go bumming around like you do and never have to worry about how the firm's going to break even. 1920 Flight 12 508/2 What must we earn to ‘break even’? 1950 J. Dempsey Championship Fighting ii. 12 He and I broke even in our three four-rounds bouts. 1958 Listener 2 Oct. 498/1 Today a novel needs to sell 5,000 copies for a publisher to break even. to break ground a. The solid bottom or earth underlying the sea (†or other water). Now only Nautical, esp. in reference to soundings, or in phrase to break ground: to heave the anchor clear of the bottom. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > region of sea or ocean > [noun] > sea bed groundOE sea-groundOE channela1387 sea-bottoma1400 ocean bed1638 ocean floor1820 sea bed1838 ocean basin1848 ocean bottom1855 sea-floor1855 society > travel > travel by water > berthing, mooring, or anchoring > berth, moor, or anchor [verb (intransitive)] > anchor > weigh anchor > heave anchor clear of bottom to break ground1698 OE Beowulf 553 Hreo wæron yþa... Me to grunde geteah fah feondscaða. c1000 Solomon & Saturn 227 Dol bið se ðe gæð on deop wæter, se ðe..mid fotum ne mæg grund geræcan. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 14861 All all swa summ þe sæ wass þær. Dun till þe grund to worrpenn. Swa þatt teȝȝ o þe driȝȝe grund. Wel sæȝhenn openn weȝȝe. a1300 Cursor Mundi 1840 Þat was no creatur in liue þat moght to grund or reche or riue. a1300 Cursor Mundi 23198 Stang als men sais es vmstund Sua depe þat þar-on es na grund. a1400 Seuyn Sages (W.) 885 To a fische-pole he come..He lepe in and sanke to gronde. c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xxxiii. 148 As þai saile þai may..see þe ground of þe see. c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 75 Caste out of þi pytt þe stynkyng wose of pride, tyl þou fynde a syker ground & a clene. c1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 1395 Lett fall an ankyr to grownd! a1568 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xlvi. 393 Gif ȝe can nocht get the grund, Steir be the compas. 1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 i. iii. 202 Diue into the bottome of the deepe, Where fadome line could neuer touch the ground. 1600 in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (new ed.) III. 190 There is good ground and ankorage here: and you shall ride in three fathom water. 1611 G. Markham Countrey Contentm. i. xiv. 93 If you Angle for him [Trout] at the ground.. the Menow is a good bayte. 1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 1 The Ship then breaking Ground from Graves-End, to fall down to the Buoy in the Nore. 1712 W. Rogers Cruising Voy. 50 We kept continual Soundings, and had always Ground from one League to ten off the Shore, from 20 to 50 Fathom Water. 1752 W. Beawes Lex Mercatoria 116 If..the ship breaks ground, and arrives at her port. 1782 Log of Albemarle in Ld. Nelson Dispatches & Lett. (1846) VII. p. v With this depth and ground you may be sure you are without the Capes. 1807 J. Johnson Oriental Voy. 220 On the 5th the men of war..broke ground, and steered past. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. To strike ground, to obtain soundings. to break (new) ground b. esp. in to break (new) ground, to make progress in a new direction (see break v. Phrases 3c); to gain (also gather, get) ground: to advance, make progress; literal and figurative (see gain v.2 8, gather v. 9, get v. Phrases 2b); to give ground: to recede, retire (see give v. Phrases 1b); to lose ground: to fall back, decline (see lose v.1 3d); to make (up) ground, to make progress. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > forward movement > move forward or advance [verb (intransitive)] wadeOE agoOE forthganga1000 forthgoOE syeOE kenc1275 to-stepc1275 vaunce1303 forthnima1325 passc1330 throc1330 forthpass1382 to pass forthc1384 to carry forthc1390 proceedc1392 to go alongc1400 to be forthwardc1430 get) groundc1436 to set onc1450 avauntc1460 pretend1481 to make way1490 advance?1507 to get forward1523 promove1570 to rid ground (also space)1572 to rid (the) way1581 progressa1586 to gather grounda1593 to make forth1594 to make on1597 to work up1603 perge1607 to work one's (also its) way1609 to pass on1611 to gain ground1625 to make its way1645 vadea1660 propagate1700 to gain one's way1777 further1789 to pull up1829 on1840 to make (up) ground1921 society > armed hostility > defeat > be defeated [verb (intransitive)] > be driven back to lose groundc1436 the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > backward movement > move backwards [verb (intransitive)] > be forced back to lose groundc1436 to leave place1487 the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > backward movement > move backwards [verb (intransitive)] > retire, withdraw, or retreat withdraw1297 recoilc1330 give place1382 arrear1399 to draw backa1400 resortc1425 adrawc1450 recedec1450 retraya1470 returna1470 rebut1481 wyke1481 umbedrawc1485 retreata1500 retract1535 retire1542 to give back1548 regress1552 to fall back?1567 peak1576 flinch1578 to fall offa1586 to draw off1602 to give ground1607 retrograde1613 to train off1796 to beat a retreat1861 to back off1938 the world > action or operation > adversity > be in adversity [verb (intransitive)] > fall from prosperous or thriving condition afalleOE wanec1000 fallOE ebba1420 to go backward?a1425 to go down?1440 decay1483 sink?a1513 delapsea1530 reel1529 decline1530 to go backwards1562 rue1576 droop1577 ruina1600 set1607 lapse1641 to lose ground1647 to go to pigs and whistles1794 to come (also go) down in the world1819 to peg out1852 to lose hold, one's balance1877 to go under1879 toboggan1887 slip1930 to turn down1936 the world > action or operation > continuing > progress, advance, or further continuance > progress or advance in an action [verb (intransitive)] > in something new to break (new) ground1895 c1436 Libel Eng. Policy in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 188 Wylde Yrishe so muche of grounde have gotyne There upon us. c1436 Libel Eng. Policy in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 189 In that land..we lesse every yere More grounde and more. ?1529 S. Fish Supplicacyon for Beggers sig. A3 The Turke..shulde neuer be abill to get so moche grounde of cristendome. 1576 A. Fleming tr. C. Plinius Novocomensis in Panoplie Epist. 254 To outrunne the ringleader, and thereby to gett ground. 1607 T. Dekker & J. Webster Famous Hist. Thomas Wyat sig. Ev They come, no man giue ground..Be Englishmen and berd them to their faces. 1647 J. Howell New Vol. of Lett. 6 To deale plainly with you, you have lost some ground at Court by it. 1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant i. 111 Though we beat and tack'd to and agen till the evening, we gained no ground. a1776 R. James Diss. Fevers (1778) 53 He sweated profusely and the delirium began to give ground. 1804 W. Tennant Indian Recreat. (ed. 2) I. 39 A more independent spirit..is daily gaining ground among that class of men. 1870 J. H. Burton Hist. Scotl. to 1688 VII. lxxiii. 170 They were steadily losing ground in the war. 1895 E. C. Brewer Dict. Phrase & Fable (rev. ed.) 557/2 To break ground, to be the first to commence a project, etc.; to take the first step in an undertaking. 1906 H. C. Wyld Hist. Study Mother Tongue v. 94 Those tendencies..which are peculiar to the individual, and which are not shared by the community, will not gain ground, but will be eliminated. 1921 Granta 30 Nov. The local side again and again made ground galore with long kicks down wind. 1928 Nation & Athenæum 7 Jan. 537/2 Montesquieu..had been the first to break the new ground. 1931 F. L. Allen Only Yesterday ix. 229 Theodore Dreiser, Willa Cather,..the Imagists and exponents of free verse had been breaking new ground since before the war. 1932 Sunday Express 3 July 22/7 Udaipur is gradually making up ground on the colts in Butters' stable. 1954 G. D. H. Cole Hist. Socialist Thought II. xiii. 362 Communities breaking new ground were in constant danger of becoming the prey of fraudulent financiers and bankers. 1954 A. S. C. Ross in Neuphilologische Mitteilungen 55 45 Posh ‘smart’ is essentially non-U, but recently, it has gained ground among schoolboys of all classes. 1966 Listener 10 Mar. 345/2 I've had to break new ground in all directions in order to say them. to break ground a. The soil of the earth. Also without article: Soil, earth, mould; now only in Mining (see quot. 1881) except with descriptive adjective. to break ground (see break v. Phrases 3). ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > earth or soil > [noun] earthOE claya1300 grita1325 groota1400 grounda1400 loama1400 soilc1440 marl1590 terroir1653 dirt1698 dutty1873 a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 6747 Theif hus brecand, or gruband grund. ?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. vi If the grounde be good put the more beanes to ye pees. 1547 Certain Serm. or Homilies Misery Mankind i, in J. Griffiths Two Bks. Homilies (1859) i. 16 We may learn to know ourselves to be but ground, earth, and ashes. 1660 T. Willsford Scales Commerce & Trade 196 This Trench (where the labourers first break ground). 1696 tr. J. Dumont New Voy. Levant 131 There are no Woods in it by reason of the shallowness of the Ground. 1700 Moxon's Mech. Exercises: Bricklayers-wks. 17 He ought to dig it deeper till he comes to firm ground; or if it proves to be loose, or made Ground [etc.] 1795 Gentleman's Mag. 65 539/1 The extreme wetness of the ground had delayed the operation of the share. 1881 Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining Engineers 1880–1 9 143 Ground, the rock in which a vein is found; also, any given portion of the mineral deposit itself. 1884 Public Opinion 12 Sept. 338/1 The loose shale..has moved forward..and carried away both shafts..down to blue ground. < as lemmas |
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