| 释义 |
old chestnut(old) chestnutA topic, saying, or joke that has been repeated so much that it has become boring or irksome. Whether there's truth in it or not, I can't stand that old chestnut "follow your heart." See also: chestnut Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. old chestnutA stale joke, story, or saying, as in Dad keeps on telling that old chestnut about how many psychiatrists it takes to change a light bulb . This expression comes from William Dimond's play, The Broken Sword (1816), in which one character keeps repeating the same stories, one of them about a cork tree, and is interrupted each time by another character who says "Chestnut, you mean . . . I have heard you tell the joke twenty-seven times and I am sure it was a chestnut." See also: chestnut, old The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. an/that old ˈchestnut (informal) a joke or story that has often been repeated and as a result is no longer amusing: ‘He told us all about the police arresting him for climbing into his own house.’ ‘Oh, no, not that old chestnut again.’See also: chestnut, old, that Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary old chestnutA stale joke, anecdote, or adage. This term has a specific source, the play The Broken Sword by William Dimond, first produced in 1816. The principal character, a Captain Xavier, constantly repeats the same stories, one of which involves a cork tree. Pablo, another character, interrupts, saying, “Chestnut, you mean, captain. I have heard you tell the joke twenty-seven times, and I am sure it was a chestnut.” The play has long since been forgotten, but the term survives, and has itself become an old chestnut. See also: chestnut, old The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also:- (old) chestnut
- an old chestnut
- chestnut
- burg
- blivit
- a one-horse town
- one-horse town
- (one) could go (on) all day (about something)
- live a dog's life
References in periodicals archive Linda didn't share my obsession for "restoring old stuff" but I knew deep down inside that she was powerful fond of that old chestnut canoe. An obsession for restoration: God constantly seeks to reclaim what we deteriorate through sin Griffin, his wife, Lucille Griffin, and other volunteers graft branches from the old trees onto healthier rootstock to create a reservoir of genetic material for crossing the sturdiest of the old chestnuts with each other to bring out resistance. Any hope for old chestnuts? Can't see the forest, but there are still some trees THE Health Service, that old chestnut for carving into, is to undergo further surgery to prolong its life. Think again on new NHS plans; Letters However, I wish he and others would delete from their file of ridiculous laws the old chestnut about mince pies being illegal on Christmas Day. Letter: Old chestnuts I suppose they will trot out the old chestnut - health and safety - as the reason for this continual vandalism. Letter: Viewpoints - Council's got it in for our trees HERE we go again, that old chestnut, the jockeys' championship, has been plucked from the fire. Title race difference You cannot use the old chestnut of the minimum wage increase affecting the cost of these services, that in itself does not warrant a near 60% increase. Cheaper to catch cabs It will have crossover appeal to more general explanations of the period, including that old chestnut - the causes of the English Revolution. Piracy and the English Government: 1616-1642 As usual, the old chestnut about "retaining talented individuals" was wheeled out - the same old story that the banks, building societies, etc, have always used when awarding unwarranted riches to their upper echelons. Let overpaid 'talent' leave And last Sunday, he shot down the old chestnut that 'you can't out-football Arsenal'. BRENDAN'S HIT & MYTH Introduced by mutual friend Danny Cipriani, the pair are "just good mates" (that old chestnut). Katie's baby is tiny Tott Jake Please do not come up with that old chestnut of "we had no option but to delve into our emergency funding chest to help Ireland" because giving drugs to prolong the life of a cancer sufferer is what I call a real emergency. Helping Ireland at our cost; YourSay Also in the press is research which shows that thousands of local council directors are earning six-figure salaries which have been justified with the old chestnut 'We have to pay these sums to get the best'. Chief exec's salary too high; YourSay All the Ramsay Street teens are in attendance, having told their 'olds' they're going to an all-night movie marathon - yes, that old chestnut... Party goes sour; Soap stories NEIGHBOURS WEEKDAYS, FIVE,6pm Mr Grainger appears to invoke the hoary old chestnut of Brussels diktat. Don't knock it, EU is not bad |