| 单词 | between two fires |
| 释义 | > as lemmasbetween two fires a. between two fires: in a position of being attacked or assaulted with firearms from two opposing directions. Also figurative and in figurative contexts. [After French entre deux feux (1685 in the passage translated in quot. 1686); with figurative uses compare earlier between two waters at water n. Phrases 1b.] ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > there is danger in a course of action [phrase] > in a dangerous situation through fire (and water)eOE waterOE near the fire1560 between two fires1686 the world > action or operation > difficulty > [phrase] > in a difficult position between the beetle and the block1590 between two fires1885 (crushed, etc.) between the upper and the nether millstones1902 between a rock and a hard place1921 in the middle1930 1686 tr. J. de Préchac Serasquier Bassa 116 An Assault was no longer to be thought of, since they could not give it without exposing themselves to be all lost, nor avoid fighting between two Fires [Fr. entre deux feux]. 1757 W. Smith Rev. Mil. Operations N.-Amer. 132 Bradstreet in an instant landed upon the island, to prevent being inclosed between two fires. 1825 tr. J. Fouché Mem. II. 164 Shall we be between two fires; between the howitzers of your dear Bernadotte and the bombs of my most excellent friend Schwartzenberg! 1885 Times 20 Feb. 5/6 He was about to find himself placed between two fires—viz. the Mahdi and the reinforced garrison of Metammeh. 1979 M. Tlali Muriel at Metrop. xi. 81 I'm not happy here, Douglas, I'm between two fires. My own people on the one hand, and the white staff on the other. 1985 M. Van Creveld Command in War iv. 118 Whatever plans Moltke may have hatched for catching the Austrians between two fires, they were not understood by the rest of the Prussian High Command. between two fires Frequent in proverbial expressions, as to make two bites of a cherry (bite n. 7, cherry n. 1b); to have two strings to one's bow (bow n.1 4c); of two evils (or ills) choose the less (evil n.1 4, ill n. 5b); between two fires (fire n. 10); two heads are better than one (head n.1 Phrases 5c); as like as two peas (pea n.2 1b); two cents' worth (U.S.): = two pennyworth n. (fig.); cf. two-cent adj. at Compounds 2 below; no two ways about it: see way n.1 and int.1 Phrases 5d etc.extracted from twoadj.n.adv.< as lemmas |
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