| 单词 | tweedledee and tweedledum |
| 释义 | > as lemmastweedledee and tweedledum (also tweedle-dum) tweedledum and tweedledee n. in the earliest example used in reference to two rival musicians (whence the figurative sense: see 2); tweedledee and tweedledum (also tweedle-dum), used to suggest the contrast or combination of the sounds of high- and low-pitched musical instruments; hence in quot. 1792 attributive = musical (obsolete); tweedle-dee, tweedle-dum, a high-, or a low-pitched instrument, or one who plays it; in quots. 1806, 1806, a fiddler (obsolete); tweedle-tweedle, the action or practice of tweedling; music, harmony (obsolete).extracted from tweedle-comb. formtweedledee and tweedledum 2. figurative, usually in phrase tweedledee and tweedledum, two things or parties the difference between which is held to be insignificant. Also attributive. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > relationship > similarity > [noun] > two similar things tweedledee and tweedledum1853 1853 W. M. Thackeray Eng. Humourists v. 237 Swift could not see the difference between tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum. 1871 J. O. Brookfield Influence I. 76 Do you believe in tweedledee or in tweedledum? 1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal II. x. 218 To the ears of Mopsy and Dopsy it was all tweedledum, and tweedledee. 1885 Spectator 24 Jan. 119/2 By no effort of the mind can we separate tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee. 1886 Pall Mall Gaz. 29 Sept. 2/2 The general public need have no special objection to half-pay officers and local Bumbles spending their superfluous time and money in Tweedledum and Tweedledee quarrels. 1889 Spectator 14 Dec. 850 The political instinct..which leads Lord Randolph..to discover a Tory Tweedledee for the Radical Tweedle~dum. 1911 Christian Endeavour Times 10 Aug. 724/1 A..war of words over tweedledees of subtle doctrinal differences and tweedledums of Church polity. < as lemmas |
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