| 单词 | to play both sides of the street |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto play (also work) both sides of the street P9. to play (also work) both sides of the street (originally and chiefly U.S.): to ally oneself with both sides in a competition or conflict, to behave inconsistently and opportunistically. ΘΚΠ the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > inconstancy > be inconstant [verb (intransitive)] > temporize or trim to serve the time (also times)?1544 temporize1555 to turn the cat in the pan1622 trim1687 to sail with every (shift of) wind1710 to play (also work) both sides of the street1909 1909 Nevada State Jrnl. 17 Aug. 4/2 Trades and frame-ups that give all the spoils to the schemers who work both sides of the street, with a sort of alternating loyalty. 1938 Sun (Baltimore) 8 Sept. 1/2 Our friends of the New Deal have the devil's own nerve when it comes to working both sides of the street. 1951 E. Kefauver Crime in Amer. xvii. 202 He played both sides of the street and made contributions to candidates of both major parties. 1969 Listener 13 Feb. 196/3 Amnesty International has to play both sides of the political street in seeking to obtain the release of political prisoners. 2001 N.Y. Times 1 July iv. 12/1 Smugglers and brokers..have thrived for years by working both sides of the street, doing deals not just with..warlords and criminal groups but with legitimate governments as well. < as lemmas |
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