| 单词 | to pull the plug |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto pull the plug Phrases to pull the plug. a. figurative. To release or unleash suddenly or early; (also, now more commonly) to prevent from happening or continuing; to bring to a sudden conclusion. Also with †out. Frequently with on.Now frequently with allusion to sense 1b and 2i. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > proceed rapidly [verb (intransitive)] > initiate sudden action to pull the plug1923 society > armed hostility > hostilities in the air > attack with aircraft [verb (intransitive)] > drop bomb > drop all bombs at once to pull the plug1923 the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > hinder completely or prevent [verb (transitive)] > thwart or foil false?c1225 confoundc1315 blenk?a1400 matea1400 interrupt1464 blench1485 fruster?a1513 frustrate?a1513 infatuate1533 disappoint1545 prevent1555 foila1564 blank1566 thwart1581 confute1589 dispurpose1607 shorten1608 foola1616 vain1628 balk1635 throwa1650 scotch1654 bafflea1674 crossbar1680 transverse1770 tomahawk1773 throttle1825 wreck1855 stultify1865 derail1889 to pull the plug1923 rank1924 1923 San Antonio (Texas) Express 15 July 2/2 ‘When you first made those contracts, it looked as if you could resell—’ ‘Yes—and then they pulled the plug.’ 1923 Brainerd (Minnesota) Daily Dispatch 21 Aug. 3/1 The governor of South Dakota pulled the plug out when he ordered the state highway station to reduce the price of gasoline to 16 cents per gallon. 1930 Decatur (Illinois) Daily Rev. 7 Dec. 10/8 Navy pulled the plug on an extremely potent offensive and smothered the Quakers. 1934 V. M. Yeates Winged Victory xix. 152 Showers of tracers..frightened him and made him pull the plug rather too soon, and..he..saw his bombs burst a long way from his target. 1943 C. H. Ward-Jackson It's a Piece of Cake 50 To pull the plug, to release the bombs in one go, as distinct from playing the piano. 1961 C. Cockburn View from West vii. 81 The British statesman finds its [sic] nearly impossible to make a simple statement..which might not inadvertently pull the plug on himself and flush him..down the drain. 1974 Observer 18 Aug. 11/4 Any prudent banker would have pulled the plug on Court Line long ago. 1977 Spare Rib Sept. 12/2 The older lady pulled the plug on her tormentors by prudently using the vibrator. 1994 Daily Mail 29 Sept. 2/3 The plug has got to be pulled on European law which has such perverse effects. b. To flush the lavatory. Also occasionally to pull up the plug. See sense 3b. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > sanitation > privy or latrine > [verb (intransitive)] > flush lavatory to pull the plug1932 1859 F. Nightingale Notes on Nursing i. 13 As well might you have a sewer under the room, or think that in a water closet the plug need be pulled up but once a day.] 1932 A. Bell Cherry Tree x. 143 He pulled the plug of the water-closet and turned to us with a triumphant smile as the house echoed with the demonstrably efficient deluge. 1943 G. Greene Ministry of Fear i. iii. 60 Pull the plug... Wait till the cistern refills, then pull the plug again. 1964 C. Mackenzie My Life & Times III. 75 ‘They must not hurt my seat.’ He then pulled up the plug, and pushed it down again. ‘Doulton you see.’ 1991 E. J. Howard Marking Time (1992) 181 He tore off his clothes and chucked them into the water, and then climbed onto the lavatory seat and pulled the plug. < as lemmas |
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