barn

(as) broad as a barn door

Very wide. Your mattress is as broad as a barn door—there's no way you'll fit it in that room!

around Robin Hood's barn

On a long, indirect route. A: "What took you guys so long to get here?" B: "Well, rather than just going through town, our esteemed driver took us all around Robin Hood's barn instead!"

barn find

Something of great value, usually a vintage automobile, that was discovered abandoned in some place that is unbefitting or unbecoming its value, as in a disused barn, shed, or the like. Did you hear about that massive barn find outside of town? They discovered about 15 old cars, each of which was worth about $40,000!

barnburner

Any thing, event, or occasion that is especially exciting, impressive, or successful. I had so much fun at Jonathan's bachelor party last night; it was a real barnburner! The majority of the game was rather lackluster, but it was a barnburner in the final quarter.

bit by a barn mouse

obsolete Drunk or tipsy. (Barley, the primary ingredient for most beer, would have been kept in a barn, making it potential fodder for barn mice.) I had my suspicions that the farmhands may have all been bit by a barn mouse, judging by their slurred speech and languid demeanor.

bitten by a barn mouse

obsolete Drunk or tipsy. (Barley, the primary ingredient for most beer, would have been kept in a barn, making it potential fodder for barn mice.) I had my suspicions that the farmhands may have all been bitten by a barn mouse, judging by their slurred speech and languid demeanor.

born in a barn

Uncouth. Uncultured. Most often used in the phrase "were you born in a barn?" What, were you born in a barn? Wash your hands before dinner!

can't hit the (broad) side of a barn

slang Has very poor aim. Boy, you can't hit the broad side of a barn—the net is over here, you know! These guys haven't made a single basket in the last 10 minutes—they just can't hit the side of a barn right now.

See also: barn, hit, of, side

close the barn door after the horse has bolted

To try to prevent or rectify a problem after the damage has already been done. It isn't worth replacing the oil filter on the engine now—you can't close the barn door after the horse has bolted.

See also: after, barn, bolt, close, door, horse

close the stable door after the horse has bolted

To try to prevent or rectify a problem after the damage has already been done. It isn't worth replacing the oil filter on the engine now—you can't close the stable door after the horse has bolted.

See also: after, bolt, close, door, horse, stable

go around Robin Hood's barn

To take a long, indirect route. A: "What took you guys so long to get here?" B: "Well, rather than just going through town, our esteemed driver went around Robin Hood's barn instead!"

hit the (broad) side of a barn

slang To hit a target that is difficult to miss. Almost always used in the negative to mean that one has very bad aim. Boy, you can't hit the broad side of a barn—the net is over here, you know! These guys haven't made a single basket in the last 10 minutes—they just can't hit the side of a barn right now.

See also: barn, hit, of, side

lock the barn door after the horse has bolted

To try to prevent or rectify a problem after the damage has already been done. My father quit smoking after he was diagnosed with lung cancer, but I'm afraid he's locking the barn door after the horse has bolted.

See also: after, barn, bolt, door, horse, lock

raised in a barn

Uncouth, uncultured, and oblivious to social manners, graces, or tact. Most often used in the phrase "Were you raised in a barn?" What, were you born in a barn? Wash your hands before dinner!

Were you born in a barn?

You are, act, or seem very uncouth or unsophisticated. You don't wash your hands before dinner? What, were you born in a barn? Close the front door! Were you born in a barn or something?

all around Robin Hood's barn

going somewhere by an indirect route; going way out of the way [to get somewhere]; by a long and circuitous route. We had to go all around Robin Hood's barn to get to the little town.

*broad as a barn door

very broad or wide. (*Also: as ~.) Jim's backside is as broad as a barn door. The weight lifter's chest is broad as a barn door.

can't hit the (broad) side of a barn

Rur. cannot aim something accurately. You're way off. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Please don't try to throw the paper into the wastebasket. You can't hit the side of a barn.

See also: barn, hit, of, side

hit the (broad) side of a barn

Fig. to hit an easy target. (Usually negative.) He can't park that car! He can't hit the broad side of a barn, let alone that parking place. He's a lousy shot. He can't hit the side of a barn.

See also: barn, hit, of, side

raised in a barn

brought up to behave like a barnyard animal; having crude behavior. Close the door behind you! Were you raised in a barn? Don't wipe your nose on your sleeve. Were you raised in a barn?

Were you born in a barn?

Rur. an expression chiding someone who has left a door open or who is ill-mannered or messy. Andy: Close the door! Were you born in a barn? Bob: Sorry. Fred: Can't you clean this place up a little? Were you born in a barn? Bob: I call it the messy look.

can't hit the broad side of a barn

Have very poor aim. For example, That rookie can't hit the broad side of a barn, let alone strike anyone out or, as put in The New Republic (February 19, 1990): "Their missiles couldn't hit the broad side of a barn." This hyperbolic term, dating from the mid-1800s, at first denoted poor marksmanship. Around 1900 it also began to be used in baseball, for a pitcher with poor aim.

lock the barn door after the horse has bolted

Also, lock the stable door after the horse is stolen. Take precautions after damage has occurred. For example, After the burglary they installed an alarm system, but it's locking the barn door, or Deciding to negotiate now after they've been fired-that's a matter of locking the stable door after the horse is stolen . These expressions of action that is useless because it comes too late have long been proverbs in many languages and first appeared in English in the mid-1300s.

See also: after, barn, bolt, door, horse, lock

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

close the stable door after the horse has bolted

BRITISH or

close the barn door after the horse has bolted

AMERICAN

If someone's action is closing the stable door after the horse has bolted, it is too late because the thing it is designed to prevent has already happened. It is nice to see the water company offering a reward to catch the fish killers, even though it might look like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. People have been complaining about a strong smell of gas for seven years. This is closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. Note: This expression is often varied. For instance, you can use shut instead of close, and words such as gone or escaped instead of bolted. The children should have been vaccinated earlier. It seems like they are shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Note: People sometimes just say close the stable door or close the barn door. Journalists exposed the fraud, since when the regulators have been scuttling to close the stable door.

See also: after, bolt, close, door, horse, stable

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

round Robin Hood's barn

by a circuitous route.

Robin Hood is the semi-legendary English medieval outlaw reputed to have robbed the rich and helped the poor. In this expression, Robin Hood's barn represents an out-of-the-way place of a kind that might be used by an outlaw or fugitive such as Robin Hood. Recorded from the mid 19th century, the phrase seems to have originated in the dialect speech of the English Midlands, the area in which Robin Hood is said to have operated.

can’t hit the (broad) side of a barn

tv. cannot aim something accurately. You’re way off. You couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.

can’t hit the side of a barn

verb

See can’t hit the broad side of a barn

See also: barn, hit, of, side

Were you born in a barn?

interrog. Weren’t you trained to close the door by yourself? You sure are careless with that door. Were you born in a barn?

can't hit the broad side of a barn

Describing a person with very poor aim. The term is thought to have originated in the mid-nineteenth century in the military. It was often repeated in the early twentieth century, when it was applied to untalented baseball pitchers who could not throw the ball over the plate with any consistency. The “broad side” in this expression also suggests the old naval meaning of broadside, that is, a simultaneous discharge of all the guns on one side of a warship. However, there are numerous variants (the inside of a barn, the right side of a barn with a shotgun, and so on) that suggest the term may also have been rural in origin.

lock the barn/stable door after the horse has bolted/is stolen, to

To take precautions after damage has been done. This proverb, found in many languages, first appeared in a French collection of ca. 1190 and found its way into a Middle English manuscript, Douce MS, by about 1350. It has been repeated ever since. Stanley Walker poked fun at it (The Uncanny Knacks of Mr. Doherty, 1941): “He locked the stable door while they were putting the cart before the horse.”

See also: after, barn, bolt, door, horse, lock, stable

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

couldn't hit the side of a barn

A lousy shot. This useful phrase can be applied to baseball pitchers who can't get the ball over the plate, basketball players who miss free throws, golfers whose balls routinely go out of bounds, target shooters and archers who miss the target, and anyone else who can't get it right. Another similar farm-based expression is “couldn't hit a bull's ass with a barn shovel.”

See also: barn, hit, of, side

Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price

See also:

(as) broad as a barn door
broad as a barn door
door
shut the stable door
can’t hit the broad side of a barn
can’t hit the side of a barn
can't hit the (broad) side of a barn
can't hit the broad side of a barn
can't hit the side of a barn
couldn't hit the side of a barn

References in periodicals archive

Boot Barn is a lifestyle retailer of western and work-related footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children.

Boot Barn Acquires G and L Clothing to Expand Retail Offerings into 33 US States

With this acquisition, it will increase the Boot Barn store footprint in Iowa, a strong western and work wear market.

Boot Barn Holdings announces acquisition of G.&L Clothing in Iowa

In 1932 there were 287 breeding pairs of barn owls in Shropshire.

Barn owls subject of next talk

If built, the hay barn would address daily operational issues and safety concerns at the stables, Nagle said.

Village council approves Palatine Stables hay barn proposal

3Number of known barn owl nests in Northern Ireland 30 Estimated number of breeding pairs left in the wild here

Owl you need is love

Reece Martin (Barn) vs Brad McFarlane (Meadowbank).

BOXING

Five of the existing buildings on the site are barns, with the first two being older sandstone buildings and redundant to agricultural use.

Plans for holiday lets in village

'Pottery Barn is very classic, very traditional with its color palettes, but lately we're seeing new colors being introduced,' Albar said.

CHARMING BUNNIES, DEEP-BLUE CHAIRS, SHATTER-PROOF PLATES FOR SUMMER ENTERTAINING

The inspection team monitored the removal of the illegal barns and constructions, said Thabet Al Taraifi, Director-General of Sharjah Municipality.

Sharjah razes illegal animal barns

Barn, who will be based in London, joins from Munich Re and is an industry leader in cyber insurance and cyber risk, combining insurance value-chain expertise with a cyber security technology background.

Tokio Marine Names Barn from Munich Re as Global Head of Cyber Risk

Boot Barn said the acquisition will expand its presence in Oklahoma.

Boot Barn Acquires Oklahoma-Based Retailer Drysdales

TULSA Boot Barn Holdings purchased assets of Drysdales Inc., a retailer with two stores in Tulsa.<br />Boot Barn purchased inventory and offered employment to the Drysdales staff at both store locations.

Boot Barn buys Drysdales

Portland-based, family-friendly folksinger and puppeteer Andy Fugeson presents Red Yarn's Old Barn, a children's music album crafted around the theme of a grand barn dance where all sorts of creatures are welcome to participate - an upbeat metaphor for American diversity!

Red Yarn's Old Barn

(3) Let us concede that PVE succeeds here, and focus instead on the challenge posed by fake barn cases (Goldman 1976); i.e.

FAKE BARNS AND OUR EPISTEMOLOGICAL THEORIZING

词组	barn
释义	barn (as) broad as a barn door Very wide. Your mattress is as broad as a barn door—there's no way you'll fit it in that room! See also: barn, broad, door around Robin Hood's barn On a long, indirect route. A: "What took you guys so long to get here?" B: "Well, rather than just going through town, our esteemed driver took us all around Robin Hood's barn instead!" See also: around, barn, robin barn find Something of great value, usually a vintage automobile, that was discovered abandoned in some place that is unbefitting or unbecoming its value, as in a disused barn, shed, or the like. Did you hear about that massive barn find outside of town? They discovered about 15 old cars, each of which was worth about $40,000! See also: barn, find barnburner Any thing, event, or occasion that is especially exciting, impressive, or successful. I had so much fun at Jonathan's bachelor party last night; it was a real barnburner! The majority of the game was rather lackluster, but it was a barnburner in the final quarter. bit by a barn mouse obsolete Drunk or tipsy. (Barley, the primary ingredient for most beer, would have been kept in a barn, making it potential fodder for barn mice.) I had my suspicions that the farmhands may have all been bit by a barn mouse, judging by their slurred speech and languid demeanor. See also: barn, bit, by, mouse bitten by a barn mouse obsolete Drunk or tipsy. (Barley, the primary ingredient for most beer, would have been kept in a barn, making it potential fodder for barn mice.) I had my suspicions that the farmhands may have all been bitten by a barn mouse, judging by their slurred speech and languid demeanor. See also: barn, bitten, by, mouse born in a barn Uncouth. Uncultured. Most often used in the phrase "were you born in a barn?" What, were you born in a barn? Wash your hands before dinner! See also: barn, born can't hit the (broad) side of a barn slang Has very poor aim. Boy, you can't hit the broad side of a barn—the net is over here, you know! These guys haven't made a single basket in the last 10 minutes—they just can't hit the side of a barn right now. See also: barn, hit, of, side close the barn door after the horse has bolted To try to prevent or rectify a problem after the damage has already been done. It isn't worth replacing the oil filter on the engine now—you can't close the barn door after the horse has bolted. See also: after, barn, bolt, close, door, horse close the stable door after the horse has bolted To try to prevent or rectify a problem after the damage has already been done. It isn't worth replacing the oil filter on the engine now—you can't close the stable door after the horse has bolted. See also: after, bolt, close, door, horse, stable go around Robin Hood's barn To take a long, indirect route. A: "What took you guys so long to get here?" B: "Well, rather than just going through town, our esteemed driver went around Robin Hood's barn instead!" See also: around, barn, go, robin hit the (broad) side of a barn slang To hit a target that is difficult to miss. Almost always used in the negative to mean that one has very bad aim. Boy, you can't hit the broad side of a barn—the net is over here, you know! These guys haven't made a single basket in the last 10 minutes—they just can't hit the side of a barn right now. See also: barn, hit, of, side lock the barn door after the horse has bolted To try to prevent or rectify a problem after the damage has already been done. My father quit smoking after he was diagnosed with lung cancer, but I'm afraid he's locking the barn door after the horse has bolted. See also: after, barn, bolt, door, horse, lock raised in a barn Uncouth, uncultured, and oblivious to social manners, graces, or tact. Most often used in the phrase "Were you raised in a barn?" What, were you born in a barn? Wash your hands before dinner! See also: barn, raised Were you born in a barn? You are, act, or seem very uncouth or unsophisticated. You don't wash your hands before dinner? What, were you born in a barn? Close the front door! Were you born in a barn or something? See also: born Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. all around Robin Hood's barn going somewhere by an indirect route; going way out of the way [to get somewhere]; by a long and circuitous route. We had to go all around Robin Hood's barn to get to the little town. See also: all, around, barn, robin broad as a barn door very broad or wide. (Also: as ~.) Jim's backside is as broad as a barn door. The weight lifter's chest is broad as a barn door. See also: barn, broad, door can't hit the (broad) side of a barn Rur. cannot aim something accurately. You're way off. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Please don't try to throw the paper into the wastebasket. You can't hit the side of a barn. See also: barn, hit, of, side hit the (broad) side of a barn Fig. to hit an easy target. (Usually negative.) He can't park that car! He can't hit the broad side of a barn, let alone that parking place. He's a lousy shot. He can't hit the side of a barn. See also: barn, hit, of, side raised in a barn brought up to behave like a barnyard animal; having crude behavior. Close the door behind you! Were you raised in a barn? Don't wipe your nose on your sleeve. Were you raised in a barn? See also: barn, raised Were you born in a barn? Rur. an expression chiding someone who has left a door open or who is ill-mannered or messy. Andy: Close the door! Were you born in a barn? Bob: Sorry. Fred: Can't you clean this place up a little? Were you born in a barn? Bob: I call it the messy look. See also: born McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. can't hit the broad side of a barn Have very poor aim. For example, That rookie can't hit the broad side of a barn, let alone strike anyone out or, as put in The New Republic (February 19, 1990): "Their missiles couldn't hit the broad side of a barn." This hyperbolic term, dating from the mid-1800s, at first denoted poor marksmanship. Around 1900 it also began to be used in baseball, for a pitcher with poor aim. See also: barn, broad, hit, of, side lock the barn door after the horse has bolted Also, lock the stable door after the horse is stolen. Take precautions after damage has occurred. For example, After the burglary they installed an alarm system, but it's locking the barn door, or Deciding to negotiate now after they've been fired-that's a matter of locking the stable door after the horse is stolen . These expressions of action that is useless because it comes too late have long been proverbs in many languages and first appeared in English in the mid-1300s. See also: after, barn, bolt, door, horse, lock The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. close the stable door after the horse has bolted BRITISH or close the barn door after the horse has bolted AMERICAN If someone's action is closing the stable door after the horse has bolted, it is too late because the thing it is designed to prevent has already happened. It is nice to see the water company offering a reward to catch the fish killers, even though it might look like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. People have been complaining about a strong smell of gas for seven years. This is closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. Note: This expression is often varied. For instance, you can use shut instead of close, and words such as gone or escaped instead of bolted. The children should have been vaccinated earlier. It seems like they are shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Note: People sometimes just say close the stable door or close the barn door. Journalists exposed the fraud, since when the regulators have been scuttling to close the stable door. See also: after, bolt, close, door, horse, stable Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. round Robin Hood's barn by a circuitous route. Robin Hood is the semi-legendary English medieval outlaw reputed to have robbed the rich and helped the poor. In this expression, Robin Hood's barn represents an out-of-the-way place of a kind that might be used by an outlaw or fugitive such as Robin Hood. Recorded from the mid 19th century, the phrase seems to have originated in the dialect speech of the English Midlands, the area in which Robin Hood is said to have operated. See also: barn, robin, round Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary can’t hit the (broad) side of a barn tv. cannot aim something accurately. You’re way off. You couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. See also: barn, broad, hit, of, side can’t hit the side of a barn verb See can’t hit the broad side of a barn See also: barn, hit, of, side Were you born in a barn? interrog. Weren’t you trained to close the door by yourself? You sure are careless with that door. Were you born in a barn? See also: born McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions can't hit the broad side of a barn Describing a person with very poor aim. The term is thought to have originated in the mid-nineteenth century in the military. It was often repeated in the early twentieth century, when it was applied to untalented baseball pitchers who could not throw the ball over the plate with any consistency. The “broad side” in this expression also suggests the old naval meaning of broadside, that is, a simultaneous discharge of all the guns on one side of a warship. However, there are numerous variants (the inside of a barn, the right side of a barn with a shotgun, and so on) that suggest the term may also have been rural in origin. See also: barn, broad, hit, of, side lock the barn/stable door after the horse has bolted/is stolen, to To take precautions after damage has been done. This proverb, found in many languages, first appeared in a French collection of ca. 1190 and found its way into a Middle English manuscript, Douce MS, by about 1350. It has been repeated ever since. Stanley Walker poked fun at it (The Uncanny Knacks of Mr. Doherty, 1941): “He locked the stable door while they were putting the cart before the horse.” See also: after, barn, bolt, door, horse, lock, stable The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer couldn't hit the side of a barn A lousy shot. This useful phrase can be applied to baseball pitchers who can't get the ball over the plate, basketball players who miss free throws, golfers whose balls routinely go out of bounds, target shooters and archers who miss the target, and anyone else who can't get it right. Another similar farm-based expression is “couldn't hit a bull's ass with a barn shovel.” See also: barn, hit, of, side Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price See also: (as) broad as a barn door broad as a barn door door shut the stable door can’t hit the broad side of a barn can’t hit the side of a barn can't hit the (broad) side of a barn can't hit the broad side of a barn can't hit the side of a barn couldn't hit the side of a barn References in periodicals archive Boot Barn is a lifestyle retailer of western and work-related footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. Boot Barn Acquires G and L Clothing to Expand Retail Offerings into 33 US States With this acquisition, it will increase the Boot Barn store footprint in Iowa, a strong western and work wear market. Boot Barn Holdings announces acquisition of G.&L Clothing in Iowa In 1932 there were 287 breeding pairs of barn owls in Shropshire. Barn owls subject of next talk If built, the hay barn would address daily operational issues and safety concerns at the stables, Nagle said. Village council approves Palatine Stables hay barn proposal 3Number of known barn owl nests in Northern Ireland 30 Estimated number of breeding pairs left in the wild here Owl you need is love Reece Martin (Barn) vs Brad McFarlane (Meadowbank). BOXING Five of the existing buildings on the site are barns, with the first two being older sandstone buildings and redundant to agricultural use. Plans for holiday lets in village 'Pottery Barn is very classic, very traditional with its color palettes, but lately we're seeing new colors being introduced,' Albar said. CHARMING BUNNIES, DEEP-BLUE CHAIRS, SHATTER-PROOF PLATES FOR SUMMER ENTERTAINING The inspection team monitored the removal of the illegal barns and constructions, said Thabet Al Taraifi, Director-General of Sharjah Municipality. Sharjah razes illegal animal barns Barn, who will be based in London, joins from Munich Re and is an industry leader in cyber insurance and cyber risk, combining insurance value-chain expertise with a cyber security technology background. Tokio Marine Names Barn from Munich Re as Global Head of Cyber Risk Boot Barn said the acquisition will expand its presence in Oklahoma. Boot Barn Acquires Oklahoma-Based Retailer Drysdales TULSA Boot Barn Holdings purchased assets of Drysdales Inc., a retailer with two stores in Tulsa.<br />Boot Barn purchased inventory and offered employment to the Drysdales staff at both store locations. Boot Barn buys Drysdales Portland-based, family-friendly folksinger and puppeteer Andy Fugeson presents Red Yarn's Old Barn, a children's music album crafted around the theme of a grand barn dance where all sorts of creatures are welcome to participate - an upbeat metaphor for American diversity! Red Yarn's Old Barn (3) Let us concede that PVE succeeds here, and focus instead on the challenge posed by fake barn cases (Goldman 1976); i.e. FAKE BARNS AND OUR EPISTEMOLOGICAL THEORIZING
随便看	beat down on (someone or something) beat down to size be at each other's throats beaten beaten at the post beaten track, (off) the beater beat feet be at full strength beat gums be at half-mast beat head against the wall be a/the model of (something) be a/the poor man's sb/sth be a/the poor man's (someone or something) be a thing of the past beat hollow be at home be a thorn in (one's) flesh be a thorn in (one's) side be a thorn in your flesh/side beating beat into beat into one's head be at it