| 释义 |
welsh, v.|wɛlʃ|
Also welch.
[Of obscure origin.]
1. trans. To swindle (a person) out of money laid as a bet (see welsher1). Hence welshing vbl. n. and ppl. a. Racing.
1857Morn. Chron. 8 June 8/3 He got his living by ‘welching’ and taking in the ‘flats’. 1867Sporting Life 21 Sept., Money which people have been ‘welshed’ out of. 1868Morn. Star 26 Mar., Some two or three of the prolific ‘welshing’ fraternity did manage to carry on their nefarious operations. 1887Daily Tel. 12 Mar. 5/2 He will receive his winnings and run no risk of being ‘welshed’. 1894Henty Dorothy's Double I. 57 He..had a narrow escape of being lynched by the crowd for welshing. 1902Times 8 Mar. 14/3 In France..betting..had increased..because people were not now afraid of being welshed.
2. intr. Const. on. To fail to carry out one's promise to (a person); to fail to keep (an obligation).
1932H. Crane Let. ? Jan. (1965) 395, I really can't welsh on Eyler Simpson (who is equally responsible, since he signed the lease with me). 1971H. Wouk Winds of War i. 4 The real shadow on this couple was that Commander Henry thought Rhoda had welshed on their courtship understanding. 1974Socialist Worker 2 Nov. 5/1 When the brothers were captured on a bank raid, the British government welched on them, dropped them like a hot penny. 1978Lancashire Life Apr. 73/4 Very few people welsh on paying their taxi fare. 1982T. Keneally Schindler's Ark v. 72 Across his desk..had crossed copies of angry SS memoranda addressed to army officials and complaining that the army was welching on its arrangement. |