| 单词 | to be on a hiding to nothing |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto be on a hiding to nothing 2. In colloquial phrase to be on a hiding to nothing, to be faced with a situation in which any outcome would be unfavourable or in which success is impossible, spec. (apparently originally in Horse Racing) that of being expected to win easily, so that one gains no credit from victory, and is disgraced by defeat. Cf. to prep. 19a. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > be of no avail [verb (intransitive)] > expend effort on something futile to shoe the goose14.. to send (also carry, etc.) owls to Athens1548 to break, crush, a fly upon the wheel1606 to carry coals to Newcastlea1614 to bang (also run, bash, etc.) one's head against a brick wall1689 to preach to the converted1857 to be on a hiding to nothing1905 to chase one's tail1963 1905 A. M. Binstead Mop Fair xi. 193 They will, like the man who was on a hiding to nothing the first time Tom Sayers saw him, ‘take it lying down’. 1964 C. P. Snow Corridors of Power ii. 17 He wanted to get out of his present job as soon as he had cleaned it up a little—‘This is a hiding to nothing,’ he said simply—and back to the Treasury. 1975 Sunday Times 8 June 28/2 The Indian batsmen were on a hiding to nothing. They could not win. 1977 Times 29 Jan. 10/7 Derby know they are on a hiding to nothing at Fourth Division Colchester, who have a reputation as giant-killers. 1980 Spectator 8 Mar. 3/1 Lord Soames would have been on a hiding to nothing in trying to exercise gubernatorial authority and viceregal judgment. < as lemmas |
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