单词 | to talk big |
释义 | > as lemmasto talk big 3. Haughtily, pompously; pretentiously, boastfully; (in somewhat weakened use) confidently. Now chiefly in to talk big. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > pride > pomposity > be pompous or behave pompously [verb (intransitive)] pompc1450 to talk biga1616 overstate1639 swell1795 pontificate1818 a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) iii. iii. 100 Nay, looke not big, nor stampe, nor stare. View more context for this quotation a1640 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Spanish Curat v. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. G3/2 In this Womans War You ever have bin train'd: spoke big: but suffer'd Like a tame Asse. 1658 Mercurius Politicus No. 445. 51 The King being on his progress, the Court imagined it the best way to talk big and threaten, and be more positive than heretofore. 1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. New Test. Matt. xviii How big soever he now look and talk. 1703 D. Defoe True Coll. Writings 202 Some People talk so big of our own Strength, that they think England able to defend it self against all the World. 1737 Common Sense I. 277 To intimidate the opposers of his Will by speaking big to them. 1741 C. Middleton Hist. Life Cicero II. vii. 248 Pompey..always talked big to keep up their spirits. 1812 Examiner 5 Oct. 631/2 He heads his troops and looks big. 1841 C. Thirlwall Lett. (1881) I. 175 We are able to talk big about light and freedom. 1865 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend I. ii. xii. 274 You talk big, you do, but things look pretty black against yourself. 1952 ‘R. Gordon’ Doctor in House xvii. 188 The ones that run a mile if they see a nurse and talk big about staying single. 1982 P. Barker Union Street v. 197 She talks big, but underneath she's scared stiff. 2002 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 5 Mar. 4/7 After years of talking big about his so-called Smart State vision, Beattie put meat on the bones. to talk big c. to talk big, tall, etc. (colloquial or slang): to talk boastfully; to indulge in inflated language; see also big adv. 3. to talk down (to an audience), to lower one's discourse to the assumed level of their intelligence; also transferred (in quots., of writers). to talk through one's hat: see hat n. Phrases 17; to talk through (the back of) one's neck: see neck n.1 Phrases 13; to talk turkey: see turkey n.2 2d. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > speak in a particular manner [verb (intransitive)] > speak loudly or angrily thundera1340 raisec1384 to speak outc1515 jowlc1540 fulmine1623 to talk big1680 tang1686 to speak upa1723 to go ona1753 rip1828 whalea1852 yap1864 to rip and tear1884 megaphone1901 to pop off1914 foghorn1918 to sound off1918 loudmouth1931 woof1934 1680 R. L'Estrange tr. Erasmus 20 Select Colloquies xvii. 224 I talk Big; and wherever I find an Hungry Buzzard, I throw him out a Bait. 1702 Eng. Theophrastus 336 Some people think they need only talk loud and big and be very positive, to make all the World of their Opinion. 1841 C. Thirlwall Lett. (1881) I. 175 We are able to talk big about light and freedom. 1856 C. M. Yonge Daisy Chain ii. xiv. 498 ‘Say it again—what you said about the sea,’ said Mary, more comforted than if Ethel had been talking down to her. 1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. III. cxi. 597 On the Fourth of July..the speaker feels bound to talk his very tallest. 1919 H. S. Walpole Jeremy ii. 43 He always talked down to us as though we were beings of another and inferior planet. He called it, ‘Getting on with the little ones.’ 1954 M. F. Rodell Myst. Fiction i. 1 This does not mean that mystery fiction need be hack work; nor that the authors of it must ‘talk down’ to their audiences. 1970 Sci. Jrnl. Apr. 84/2 The authors for future titles all seem to be practising scientists. The problem will be whether they can achieve the necessary clarity of style without ‘talking down’ to their new audiences. < as lemmas |
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