| 单词 | always the bridesmaid, never the bride |
| 释义 | > as lemmasalways the bridesmaid, never the bride Phrases Proverb. three times a bridesmaid and never the bride, always the bridesmaid, never the bride, and variants. a. literal. With reference to a woman who will not or seems unlikely to marry.Perhaps popularized as part of a long-running advertising campaign in which Listerine mouthwash was promoted as a remedy for halitosis and (by extension) social stigmatization: cf. quot. 1922, and quot. 1930 at Phrases b. ΚΠ 1858 Godey's Lady's Bk. Feb. 154/1 ‘Three times a bridesmaid,’ they say, ‘never a bride.’ 1864 C. M. Yonge Trial II. vi. 119 Gertrude..had been surfeited with weddings, and replied to Harry's old wit of ‘three times a bridesmaid and never a bride’, that she hoped so. 1917 C. Collins & ‘F. W. Leigh’ Why am I always the Bridesmaid? (transcribed from song, perf. ‘Lily Morris’) Why am I always the bridesmaid, never the blushing bride? 1922 Vogue 15 Apr. 106/4 (advt.) She was often a bridesmaid but never a bride... Your mirror can't tell you when your breath is not right. 2018 Gananoque (Ont.) Reporter (Nexis) 23 Aug. a7 She is the drunk at her sister's wedding—always the bridesmaid, never the bride. b. figurative. With reference to a person who is perpetually in a secondary position or who looks on while someone else attains a goal or aim. Also occasionally of a thing. ΚΠ 1930 Washington Post 27 July (Sports section) m16/4 Macdonald Smith, one of the brightest golfing stars Carnoustie has sent to the United States, is like the girl in the advertisements—often a bridesmaid but never a bride. 1961 Times 30 Oct. 6/2 On the bitter-sweet principle of always the bridesmaid but never the blushing bride, they took second place. 2002 N.Y. Times 8 Sept. ii. 43/1 Was ‘Chicago’ destined to remain a movieland bridesmaid but never a bride? < as lemmas |
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