| 释义 |
DictionarySeelesserthe lesser of two evils
the lesser of two evilsThe less offensive of two undesirable options. Both options are unpalatable, but the lesser of two evils, in this case, is selling the house. Polls show that the candidate is not well-liked, but is viewed as the lesser of two evils.See also: evil, lesser, of, twolesser of two evilsthe less bad thing of a pair of bad things. I didn't like either politician, so I voted for the lesser of two evils. Given the options of going out with someone I don't like and staying home and watching a boring television program, I chose the lesser of the two evils and watched television.See also: evil, lesser, of, twolesser of two evilsThe somewhat less unpleasant of two poor choices. For example, I'd rather stay home and miss the picnic altogether than run into those nasty people-it's the lesser of two evils . This expression was already a proverb in ancient Greek and appeared in English by the late 1300s. Chaucer used it in Troilus and Cressida. See also: evil, lesser, of, twothe lesser of two evils or the lesser evil COMMON If you have to choose between two bad things, you can call the one which is less bad the lesser of two evils or the lesser evil. Should she choose life on the streets or the bad marriage? In the end it seemed the street was the lesser of two evils. In a continent where economic successes are rare, this sort of regime may seem a lesser evil than abject poverty.See also: evil, lesser, of, twothe ˌlesser of two ˈevils, the ˌlesser ˈevil the less unpleasant of two unpleasant choices: Neither candidate seemed capable of governing the country. People voted for him as the lesser of two evils.See also: evil, lesser, of, twolesser of two evilsSee choice between two evils.See also: evil, lesser, of, two |