| 单词 | to nip at a person or animal's heels |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto nip at a person or animal's heels Phrases a. To overpower or overcome (a person) with a sudden grip or pinch on the specified part of the body. Also (in extended use): to affect as if overpowered in this way; to reduce to a state of helplessness. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > overcome or overwhelm > completely or overthrow shrenchc897 allayOE fellOE quellOE to bring to the groundc1175 forlesec1200 to lay downa1225 acastc1225 accumberc1275 cumber1303 confoundc1330 overthrowc1375 cumrayc1425 overquell?c1450 overwhelvec1450 to nip in (also by, on) the head (also neck, pate)?a1500 prostrate1531 quash1556 couch1577 unhorse1577 prosternate1593 overbeata1616 unchariot1715 floor1828 quench1841 to knock over1853 fling1889 to throw down1890 steamroller1912 wipe1972 zonk1973 a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Fox, Wolf, & Cadger l. 2223 in Poems (1981) 84 Deith cummis behind and nippis thame be the nek. 1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 70v This question so earnestly asked.., nipped him in the head. 1589 R. Greene Menaphon sig. D2 Menaphon halfe nipte in the pate with this replie..made this aunswere. 1627 R. Sanderson Ten Serm. 300 This nipped him in the head, and strooke cold to his heart. 1668 J. Dryden Sr Martin Mar-all iv. 51 Lord, Sir, how you stand! as you were nip'd i' th' head. b. To give a decisive or final check to (something). Obsolete.Sometimes with admixture of sense 'to arrest or prevent the growth or development of' (see sense 13a). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > hinder completely or prevent [verb (transitive)] > check (in) a course of action stanchc1315 arrestc1374 checka1400 stem?c1450 stay1525 to take up1530 rebate1532 suspend1565 nip1575 countercheck1590 to nip in the bud1590 to clip the wings ofa1593 to nip in (also by, on) the head (also neck, pate)1594 trasha1616 to scotch the wheels of1648 spike1687 spoke1854 to pull up1861 1594 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. II. To Rdr. sig. b3 This monstrous brood shalbe nipped in the head so soone as euer it shall dare to shew it selfe. a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) iii. i. 89 This outward sainted Deputie, Whose setled visage..Nips youth i'th head, and follies doth emmew. 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 103 Ere ever Christ be truely closed with, sinne must be nipt in the necke. 1682 J. Bunyan Holy War 40 It should be all our wisdoms and care, to nip the head of all such rumors as shall tend to trouble our people. View more context for this quotation] P2. to nip in the bud: to suppress, check, or destroy, esp. at an early stage. Formerly also †to nip in the bloom, etc. (obsolete). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > hinder completely or prevent [verb (transitive)] > check (in) a course of action stanchc1315 arrestc1374 checka1400 stem?c1450 stay1525 to take up1530 rebate1532 suspend1565 nip1575 countercheck1590 to nip in the bud1590 to clip the wings ofa1593 to nip in (also by, on) the head (also neck, pate)1594 trasha1616 to scotch the wheels of1648 spike1687 spoke1854 to pull up1861 1590 T. Lodge Rosalynde: Euphues Golden Legacie f. 24 Nature hath prodigally inricht thee with her fauours..and now..to haue all these good partes nipped in the blade, and blemisht by the inconstancie of Fortune. 1595 H. Chettle Piers Plainnes Prentiship sig. E3v Extinguish these fond loues with minds labour, and nip thy affections in the bloome, that they may neuer bee of power to budde. 1607 F. Beaumont Woman Hater iii. i. sig. D4v Yet I can frowne and nip a passion Euen in the bud. 1658 A. Cokayne Small Poems 120 Dost thou approach to censure our delights, And nip them in the bud? 1677 tr. A.-N. Amelot de La Houssaie Hist. Govt. Venice 307 Had not the Senat..nipt their Animosity in the Bud. 1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 526. ¶2 Holding it extremely requisite that you should nip him in the Bud. 1746 J. Hervey Medit. among Tombs 24 He has nipped Infancy in its Bud. 1772 Q. F. Norton Let. 3 Nov. in John Norton & Sons (1968) 278 The Italian Fashions and Vices creep in upon us apace, which if not nipt in the Bud will take too deep a Root. 1844 W. Irving in Life & Lett. (1866) III. 321 Insurrections have broken out.., and Government are taking strong measures to nip them in the bud. 1861 H. T. Buckle Hist. Civilisation Eng. (1873) II. viii. 565 This and many other noble projects were nipped in the bud by the death of Charles III. 1956 A. Wilson Anglo-Saxon Attitudes i. ii. 44 He sat down with the air of having nipped some potentially insidious nonsense in the bud. 1998 K. Desai Hullabaloo in Guava Orchard (1999) ix. 82 This was a very dangerous thing and should be nipped in the bud immediately, he felt. P3. Originally U.S. to nip at the heels of (also to nip at a person or animal's heels). a. Of a dog: to snap at the legs or heels of (a person or animal), especially in order to drive or chase him, her, or it in a particular direction. ΚΠ 1873 Delphi (Indiana) Jrnl. 25 June He arrives..with..coat-tails horizontal and the yellow dog nipping at his heels. 1902 Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Evening Gaz. 20 Jan. 7/1 The dog was..taken into the field..to drive up the cows. The dog nipped at the heels of the cattle. 1955 Boys' Life Nov. 82/2 Bursting into a frenzy of barking, he nipped at the creature's heels. 1988 J. Hunter & A. Keteyian Catfish 85 Running and yapping, he nipped at our heels. 2009 R. C. Hamilton Seventy-seven Year Good Deed xv. 86 They'd nip at the heels of the cows and encourage them to ‘move along smartly now’. b. figurative and in figurative contexts. (a) To harry, harass, or chivvy; to hound. Also: to follow closely behind, or be close to. ΚΠ 1882 Sunday Herald (Syracuse, N.Y.) 23 July 3/4 Was not winter nipping at their heels? 1932 Macleay Chron. (Kempsey, New S. Wales) 20 July 3/2 With a keen wind from the river nipping at his heels, the traveller hurries along the historic Rue Vieille du Temple. 1991 Sport Mar. 42/1 Junior was..nipping at the heels of any player who strayed in his direction. 2012 M. C. Hirshberg For Better or for Work 15 Gary had enough to worry about with creditors nipping at his heels. (b) In a competitive situation: to follow closely behind (a leader or pioneer); to challenge or threaten (a person or group) with eagerness and drive. ΚΠ 1924 Wisconsin State Jrnl. 26 Feb. 15/5 The Milwaukee star had nipped continually at the heels of his opponent.., and stood an excellent chance of..winning. 1960 Marshall (Mich.) Evening Chron. 11 June The strongman..held a one stroke lead at the 36-hole point... But a gang of potential champions nipped at his heels. 1984 Orange Coast (Orange County, Calif.) Jan. 133/1 Thoughts of success have encouraged smaller companies..to nip at the heels of larger groups. 2001 I. Halperin Bad & Beautiful (2003) xxii. 150 She started having difficulty keeping up with younger models who nipped at her heels for the higher paid jobs. < as lemmas |
| 随便看 |
英语词典包含1132095条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法，是英语学习的有利工具。