art

art for art's sake

Art created for the sole purpose of being an artistic expression. Don't interpret this piece as some sort of political statement—it's just art for art's sake.

art is long and life is short

proverb A phrase that emphasizes the permanence of art and the fleeting nature of human life. As I've gotten older, I've been painting more because I know that art is long and life is short.

be art and part of (something)

To be an active participant in something. I really hope you aren't art and part of your brother's foolish schemes.

down to a fine art

Learned, mastered, or understood perfectly, to the point of requiring little or no focus to do, recall, or accomplish. Make sure you practice these equations until you have them down to a fine art. I always get my routine down to a fine art so there won't be any room for error during the performance.

fine art

Something that requires finely-honed abilities and/or a particular expertise. Managing an entire team of people is a fine art—I don't think I could do it as well as Joann does.

have (something) down to a fine art

To do something well or efficiently, typically due to one's experience at it. I'm a working mom of three, so I've got lunch-making down to a fine art—I put out all the pieces of bread, add jelly to each one, and then do the same with peanut butter.

have (something) off to a fine art

To do something well or efficiently, typically due to one's experience at it. I'm a working mom of three, so I have lunch-making off to a fine art—I put out all the pieces of bread, add jelly to each one, and then do the same with peanut butter.

life imitates art

cliché Said when something in real life occurs in the same or a similar way to something that was depicted in a piece of art or fiction. Often used humorously or sarcastically. The disaster played out almost exactly as it did in the dystopian future depicted in the famous novel. A chilling instance of life imitating art. A: "And then they convinced us to get back together! It's just like that movie The Parent Trap." B: "Wow, life imitates art, huh?"

state of the art

Having or using the most advanced, up-to-date technology available. Sometimes hyphenated when used before a noun. Our new state-of-the-art facility will be at the forefront of cancer research. After working in such a drab, old-fashioned office for so long, it's refreshing to work somewhere that's so state of the art.

See also: art, of, state

the noble art (of self-defense)

The sport of boxing. Any two yahoos can get into a fistfight, but it takes real skill, dedication, and training to learn the noble art of self-defense. He spent most of his career training in the noble art before joining the world of mixed martial arts last year.

to a fine art

In a manner or form that is masterful. The English have raised the simple act of making a cup of tea to a fine art. Make sure you practice these equations until you have them down to a fine art.

work of art

1. Literally, any creation that is the result of the imagination being used to produce that which can or is intended to be contemplated or appreciated for its beauty or significance. The composer is able to create stunning works of art with a single, very simple instrument. The films have long been considered important works of art. Some people claim this is a work of art, but all I see are random flecks of paint splattered on a canvas.

2. By extension, anything that is extremely well crafted or aesthetically pleasing. The code she wrote for this program is nothing short of a work of art. Wow, did you see his incredible body? That thing is a work of art!

Art is long and life is short.

Prov. Works of art last much longer than human lives.; Life is too short to learn everything you need to know about a particular discipline. Alan: You ought to do something besides paint pictures in your spare time. Come out with us, have some fun. Bob: Having fun will not win me immortality. Only my paintings can do that. Art is long and life is short. I always feel a sense of awe when I look at the Babylonian statues in the art museum. They were made thousands of years ago. Art is long and life is short.

state of the art

using the most recent technology. (Hyphenated before nouns.) Our company's computer setup is strictly state of the art. This state-of-the-art radio is capable of filling the whole room with sound.

See also: art, of, state

work of art

1. Lit. a piece of art. She purchased a lovely work of art for her living room.

2. . Fig. a good result of one's efforts. Your report was a real work of art. Very well done.

fine art

Something requiring highly developed techniques and skills, as in He's turned lying into a fine art, or The contractor excels in the fine art of demolition. This term alludes to the fine arts, such as music, painting, and sculpture, which require both skill and talent. It is now often used to describe anything that takes skill to do. [First half of 1800s]

state of the art

The highest level of development, very up-to-date, as in This new television set reflects the state of the art in screen technology. Despite including the word art, this term originated in technology, and its first recorded use appears in a 1910 book on the gas turbine. Today it is often used adjectivally, as in This is a state-of-the-art camera, and sometimes very loosely, as in That movie is state-of-the-art Woody Allen.

See also: art, of, state

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

have something down to a fine art

BRITISH, AMERICAN or

have got something down to a fine art

BRITISH

If you have an activity down to a fine art, you know the best way of doing it because you have done it a lot. They've got fruit retailing down to a fine art. You can be sure that your pears will ripen in a day. Shopping for food is the biggest problem, though she has it down to a fine art. `I go to the cheapest shops and buy only frozen or canned goods'.

See also: art, down, fine, have, something

state of the art

state-of-the-art

COMMON Something that is state of the art or state-of-the-art has the most modern and advanced features and technology. The new apartments would be state of the art. We've now installed our own state-of-the-art cameras.

See also: art, of, state

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

art for art's sake

the idea that a work of art has no purpose beyond itself.

This phrase is the slogan of artists who hold that the chief or only aim of a work of art is the self-expression of the individual artist who creates it.

be art and part of

be an accessory or participant in; be deeply involved in.

Be art and part of was originally a Scottish legal expression: art referred to the bringing about of an action and part to participation in it.

have (or get) something down to a fine art

achieve a high level of skill, facility, or accomplishment in some activity through experience.

See also: art, down, fine, have, something

the noble art

boxing. chiefly archaic

A fuller version of this phrase is the noble art (or science ) of self-defence .

state of the art

the most recent stage in the development of a product, incorporating the newest ideas and the most up-to-date features.

See also: art, of, state

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

have something down to a fine ˈart

(informal, often humorous) learn through experience how to do something perfectly: I found it difficult to organize the timetables at first, but now I’ve got it down to a fine art. She has complaining in restaurants down to a fine art! Head waiters are terrified of her.

See also: art, down, fine, have, something

ˌstate of the ˈart

using the most modern or advanced techniques or methods; as good as it can be at the present time: The security system we’re using is state of the art. This computer uses state-of-the-art technology.

See also: art, of, state

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

state of the art

Representing or incorporating the latest advances. This expression, dating from the late 1800s, has nothing to do with the condition of the fine arts. Rather, it first applies art to technology, a usage still current. B. G. Bender used it in Microminiaturism (1962), “. . . techniques have been developed for producing chips . . . which have advanced the state of the art.” However, it also is used more broadly, and often as an adjective, as in “That redecorated living room is state of the art.”

See also: art, of, state

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

See also:

art for art's sake
express (oneself)
express oneself
be art and part of
be art and part of (something)
thing or two
a thing or two
dabble in
dabble in (something)
admit to

References in classic literature

And the art of payment has the special function of giving pay: but we do not confuse this with other arts, any more than the art of the pilot is to be confused with the art of medicine, because the health of the pilot may be improved by a sea voyage.

Or because a man is in good health when he receives pay you would not say that the art of payment is medicine?

Republic

The art that thus separates is itself first separated.

This appears in works both of the useful and the fine arts, if we employ the popular distinction of works according to their aim either at use or beauty.

Essays First Series

The thing that stops them, it must be said again, is their desire to exercise authority over the artist and over works of art. To certain theatres, such as the Lyceum and the Haymarket, the public seem to come in a proper mood.

If a man approaches a work of art with any desire to exercise authority over it and the artist, he approaches it in such a spirit that he cannot receive any artistic impression from it at all.

Soul of Man under Socialism

Art often undergoes a transformation while they are pending,

pendent opera interrupta ; they proceed quietly in accordance with the transformed art. The new art takes the monument where it finds it, incrusts itself there, assimilates it to itself, develops it according to its fancy, and finishes it if it can.

Notre Dame de Paris

Called home by the fatal illness of his father shortly before his four year's were completed, he decided, as Milton had done, and as Browning was even then doing, to devote himself to his art; but, like Milton, he equipped himself, now and throughout his life, by hard and systematic study of many of the chief branches of knowledge, including the sciences.

A History of English Literature

That which is with you in Spaceland an unmixed evil, blotting out the landscape, depressing the spirits, and enfeebling the health, is by us recognized as a blessing scarcely inferior to air itself, and as the Nurse of arts and Parent of sciences.

They have neither the matured and systematically trained powers of the Polygonal Bachelors and Masters of Arts, nor yet the native precocity and mercurial versatility of the youthful Tradesman.

Flatland

"Then thou art perhaps an expert on the leech?" asked Zarathustra; "and thou investigatest the leech to its ultimate basis, thou conscientious one?"

Thus Spake Zarathustra

Thou art the man, Thou the accursed polluter of this land.

Oedipus The King

"This being so, if perchance anyone of thy kinsfolk should come to see thee when thou art in thine island, thou art not to repel or slight him, but on the contrary to welcome him, entertain him, and make much of him; for in so doing thou wilt be approved of heaven

Don Quixote

'I am master of a hundred arts, and have into the bargain a sackful of cunning.

Fairy Tales

词组	art
释义	art art for art's sake Art created for the sole purpose of being an artistic expression. Don't interpret this piece as some sort of political statement—it's just art for art's sake. See also: art, sake art is long and life is short proverb A phrase that emphasizes the permanence of art and the fleeting nature of human life. As I've gotten older, I've been painting more because I know that art is long and life is short. See also: and, art, life, long, short be art and part of (something) To be an active participant in something. I really hope you aren't art and part of your brother's foolish schemes. See also: and, art, of, part down to a fine art Learned, mastered, or understood perfectly, to the point of requiring little or no focus to do, recall, or accomplish. Make sure you practice these equations until you have them down to a fine art. I always get my routine down to a fine art so there won't be any room for error during the performance. See also: art, down, fine fine art Something that requires finely-honed abilities and/or a particular expertise. Managing an entire team of people is a fine art—I don't think I could do it as well as Joann does. See also: art, fine have (something) down to a fine art To do something well or efficiently, typically due to one's experience at it. I'm a working mom of three, so I've got lunch-making down to a fine art—I put out all the pieces of bread, add jelly to each one, and then do the same with peanut butter. See also: art, down, fine, have have (something) off to a fine art To do something well or efficiently, typically due to one's experience at it. I'm a working mom of three, so I have lunch-making off to a fine art—I put out all the pieces of bread, add jelly to each one, and then do the same with peanut butter. See also: art, fine, have, off life imitates art cliché Said when something in real life occurs in the same or a similar way to something that was depicted in a piece of art or fiction. Often used humorously or sarcastically. The disaster played out almost exactly as it did in the dystopian future depicted in the famous novel. A chilling instance of life imitating art. A: "And then they convinced us to get back together! It's just like that movie The Parent Trap." B: "Wow, life imitates art, huh?" See also: art, life state of the art Having or using the most advanced, up-to-date technology available. Sometimes hyphenated when used before a noun. Our new state-of-the-art facility will be at the forefront of cancer research. After working in such a drab, old-fashioned office for so long, it's refreshing to work somewhere that's so state of the art. See also: art, of, state the noble art (of self-defense) The sport of boxing. Any two yahoos can get into a fistfight, but it takes real skill, dedication, and training to learn the noble art of self-defense. He spent most of his career training in the noble art before joining the world of mixed martial arts last year. See also: art, noble to a fine art In a manner or form that is masterful. The English have raised the simple act of making a cup of tea to a fine art. Make sure you practice these equations until you have them down to a fine art. See also: art, fine work of art 1. Literally, any creation that is the result of the imagination being used to produce that which can or is intended to be contemplated or appreciated for its beauty or significance. The composer is able to create stunning works of art with a single, very simple instrument. The films have long been considered important works of art. Some people claim this is a work of art, but all I see are random flecks of paint splattered on a canvas. 2. By extension, anything that is extremely well crafted or aesthetically pleasing. The code she wrote for this program is nothing short of a work of art. Wow, did you see his incredible body? That thing is a work of art! See also: art, of, work Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. Art is long and life is short. Prov. Works of art last much longer than human lives.; Life is too short to learn everything you need to know about a particular discipline. Alan: You ought to do something besides paint pictures in your spare time. Come out with us, have some fun. Bob: Having fun will not win me immortality. Only my paintings can do that. Art is long and life is short. I always feel a sense of awe when I look at the Babylonian statues in the art museum. They were made thousands of years ago. Art is long and life is short. See also: and, art, life, long, short state of the art using the most recent technology. (Hyphenated before nouns.) Our company's computer setup is strictly state of the art. This state-of-the-art radio is capable of filling the whole room with sound. See also: art, of, state work of art 1. Lit. a piece of art. She purchased a lovely work of art for her living room. 2. . Fig. a good result of one's efforts. Your report was a real work of art. Very well done. See also: art, of, work McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. fine art Something requiring highly developed techniques and skills, as in He's turned lying into a fine art, or The contractor excels in the fine art of demolition. This term alludes to the fine arts, such as music, painting, and sculpture, which require both skill and talent. It is now often used to describe anything that takes skill to do. [First half of 1800s] See also: art, fine state of the art The highest level of development, very up-to-date, as in This new television set reflects the state of the art in screen technology. Despite including the word art, this term originated in technology, and its first recorded use appears in a 1910 book on the gas turbine. Today it is often used adjectivally, as in This is a state-of-the-art camera, and sometimes very loosely, as in That movie is state-of-the-art Woody Allen. See also: art, of, state The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. have something down to a fine art BRITISH, AMERICAN or have got something down to a fine art BRITISH If you have an activity down to a fine art, you know the best way of doing it because you have done it a lot. They've got fruit retailing down to a fine art. You can be sure that your pears will ripen in a day. Shopping for food is the biggest problem, though she has it down to a fine art. `I go to the cheapest shops and buy only frozen or canned goods'. See also: art, down, fine, have, something state of the art or state-of-the-art COMMON Something that is state of the art or state-of-the-art has the most modern and advanced features and technology. The new apartments would be state of the art. We've now installed our own state-of-the-art cameras. See also: art, of, state Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. art for art's sake the idea that a work of art has no purpose beyond itself. This phrase is the slogan of artists who hold that the chief or only aim of a work of art is the self-expression of the individual artist who creates it. See also: art, sake be art and part of be an accessory or participant in; be deeply involved in. Be art and part of was originally a Scottish legal expression: art referred to the bringing about of an action and part to participation in it. See also: and, art, of, part have (or get) something down to a fine art achieve a high level of skill, facility, or accomplishment in some activity through experience. See also: art, down, fine, have, something the noble art boxing. chiefly archaic A fuller version of this phrase is the noble art (or science ) of self-defence . See also: art, noble state of the art the most recent stage in the development of a product, incorporating the newest ideas and the most up-to-date features. See also: art, of, state Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary have something down to a fine ˈart (informal, often humorous) learn through experience how to do something perfectly: I found it difficult to organize the timetables at first, but now I’ve got it down to a fine art. She has complaining in restaurants down to a fine art! Head waiters are terrified of her. See also: art, down, fine, have, something ˌstate of the ˈart using the most modern or advanced techniques or methods; as good as it can be at the present time: The security system we’re using is state of the art. This computer uses state-of-the-art technology. See also: art, of, state Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary state of the art Representing or incorporating the latest advances. This expression, dating from the late 1800s, has nothing to do with the condition of the fine arts. Rather, it first applies art to technology, a usage still current. B. G. Bender used it in Microminiaturism (1962), “. . . techniques have been developed for producing chips . . . which have advanced the state of the art.” However, it also is used more broadly, and often as an adjective, as in “That redecorated living room is state of the art.” See also: art, of, state The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: art for art's sake express (oneself) express oneself be art and part of be art and part of (something) thing or two a thing or two dabble in dabble in (something) admit to References in classic literature And the art of payment has the special function of giving pay: but we do not confuse this with other arts, any more than the art of the pilot is to be confused with the art of medicine, because the health of the pilot may be improved by a sea voyage. Or because a man is in good health when he receives pay you would not say that the art of payment is medicine? Republic The art that thus separates is itself first separated. This appears in works both of the useful and the fine arts, if we employ the popular distinction of works according to their aim either at use or beauty. Essays First Series The thing that stops them, it must be said again, is their desire to exercise authority over the artist and over works of art. To certain theatres, such as the Lyceum and the Haymarket, the public seem to come in a proper mood. If a man approaches a work of art with any desire to exercise authority over it and the artist, he approaches it in such a spirit that he cannot receive any artistic impression from it at all. Soul of Man under Socialism Art often undergoes a transformation while they are pending, pendent opera interrupta ; they proceed quietly in accordance with the transformed art. The new art takes the monument where it finds it, incrusts itself there, assimilates it to itself, develops it according to its fancy, and finishes it if it can. Notre Dame de Paris Called home by the fatal illness of his father shortly before his four year's were completed, he decided, as Milton had done, and as Browning was even then doing, to devote himself to his art; but, like Milton, he equipped himself, now and throughout his life, by hard and systematic study of many of the chief branches of knowledge, including the sciences. A History of English Literature That which is with you in Spaceland an unmixed evil, blotting out the landscape, depressing the spirits, and enfeebling the health, is by us recognized as a blessing scarcely inferior to air itself, and as the Nurse of arts and Parent of sciences. They have neither the matured and systematically trained powers of the Polygonal Bachelors and Masters of Arts, nor yet the native precocity and mercurial versatility of the youthful Tradesman. Flatland "Then thou art perhaps an expert on the leech?" asked Zarathustra; "and thou investigatest the leech to its ultimate basis, thou conscientious one?" Thus Spake Zarathustra Thou art the man, Thou the accursed polluter of this land. Oedipus The King "This being so, if perchance anyone of thy kinsfolk should come to see thee when thou art in thine island, thou art not to repel or slight him, but on the contrary to welcome him, entertain him, and make much of him; for in so doing thou wilt be approved of heaven Don Quixote 'I am master of a hundred arts, and have into the bargain a sackful of cunning. Fairy Tales
随便看	double as (someone or something) double back double back on (someone or something) double-bagger double-barreled double-barreled slingshot double bill double bind double bogey double booked double buffalo double cross double crosser double-crosser double date double-decker double-deuces double-digit double digits double-dipper double-dipping double-dome double down double Dutch double duty