释义 |
seven-league(d, a. seven-league(d) boots [F. bottes de sept lieues], the boots in the fairy story of Hop o' my Thumb, which enabled the wearer to cover seven leagues at each step. Hence allusively = of enormous size or speed.
1793W. B. Stevens Jrnl. 27 Feb. (1966) i. 70 Wrote to Dewe that I would put on my seven league boots next weekend and stretch my course to Appleby. 1799Southey in Robberds Mem. W. Taylor (1843) I. 254 He has advanced with such seven-leagued strides as to overtake everybody. 1813L. Hunt in Examiner 26 Apr. 262/2 Heaven grant he may not have put on his seven-league boots in vain! 1818Scott Rob Roy iv, Giants with seven-leagued boots. 1826― Woodst. xxviii, Leave swelling phrase and seven-leagued words at home. 1849Hawthorne Twice-told T., Mr. Higginbotham's Catastr., The stranger on foot must have worn seven-league boots, to travel at such a rate. 1855Dickens Dorrit ii. xii, With a..rapid step, as if he wanted to get his seven-league dress-shoes on and go round the world. 1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Miner's Right (1899) 141/2 The sergeant strode forward with one of his characteristic seven-leagued movements. Comb.1864A. J. Warden Linen Trade 240 The rapid progress in this seven-league-booted century. |