| 释义 |
hard and fast, a.
1. Naut. (See quot. 1867.)
1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Hard and fast. Said of a ship on shore. 1895Ld. C. E. Paget Autobiog. iv. (1896) 80 Finding the ship hard and fast, he had nothing for it but to remain quietly on board.
2. Rigidly laid down and adhered to.
1867J. W. Henley Sp. in Ho. Com. 11 Apr., Whether the franchise is to be limited by a hard and fast line. Ibid. 28 May, The House has deliberately, after long consideration, determined to have no ‘hard and fast line’. 1867W. H. Gregory Sp. in Ho. Com. 28 May, What were the whole of the fancy franchises but ‘a hard and fast line’? It was very easy to affix a nickname. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 412 Who are the wicked, and who are the good, whom we venture to divide by a hard and fast line? 1881J. Evans Anc. Bronze Implem. i. 1 It is impossible to fix any hard and fast limits for the close of the Stone Period. 1890Bp. Stubbs Primary Charge 45 We are none of us in a condition to lay down a hard and fast rule about inspiration. |