单词 | let them eat cake |
释义 | > as lemmaslet them eat cake P7. let them eat cake and variants: used to indicate that a person is ignorant or dismissive of the hardships of others, or (sometimes) to express disregard for such hardships. Also as a modifier. [After French qu'ils mangent de la brioche (1765 in J. J. Rousseau Confessions), and frequently paraphrasing or alluding to this (compare quot. 1857). Rousseau's use reflects a probably apocryphal account of a French princess's response to being told that her impoverished subjects were unable to obtain bread. In the early 19th cent. the phrase was attributed to Marie Antoinette (see Marie Antoinette n.); earlier use of a similar phrase has been attributed to Maria Theresa of Spain (1638–83), wife of King Louis XIV, but again without supporting evidence.] ΚΠ 1857 Charleston (S. Carolina) Mercury 17 Oct. If, as the papers say, these working classes are likely to get out of bread, why, let them eat cake. 1937 P. G. Wodehouse in Sat. Evening Post 24 Aug. 46/2 You don't have to worry about Lord Abbott. Let him eat cake. You just follow the dictates of your heart and go right ahead and marry the girl. 2011 National Post (Canada) (Nexis) 29 Jan. a25 What really annoyed me was the haughty, ‘let them eat cake’ attitude that was so very pervasive in his letter. < as lemmas |
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