40

40 acres and a mule

1. Something given by the government. The phrase refers to a promise made during the Civil War by Union general William T. Sherman that freed slaves would receive 40 acres of land and a mule. However, after the war that land was given back to its original owners. I'm doing just fine on my own—I don't need 40 acres and a mule from Uncle Sam.

2. A promise or assurance that proves to be false. I think he's just tempting us with that offer, and it'll turn out to be 40 acres and a mule.

a fool at 40 is a fool forever

proverb Someone who reaches middle age and continues to act foolishly is unlikely to start acting more maturely. A: "He's way too old to be spending his money so frivolously." B: "I know. A fool at 40 is a fool forever."

be (on) the right side of (an age)

To be younger than a certain age. You can get away with dressing like a teenager when you're still on the right side of 30. I was never sore after working out when I was on the right side of 40!

be (on) the wrong side of (an age)

To be older than a certain age. Why is she dressing like a teenager when she is clearly the wrong side of 40? I'm sore after every workout these days, so I'm definitely on the wrong side of 30!

be pushing (an age)

To be approaching a particular age. I was never sore after my workouts until I was pushing 40.

catch forty winks

To sleep for a short time; to take a nap. Dad's upstairs catching forty winks before dinner.

forty minutes of hell

In collegiate basketball, the entire duration (40 minutes) of a game played in a suffocating and aggressive manner against one's opponents. The phrase was reportedly coined by Nolan Richardson while coaching the Arkansas Razorbacks in the mid-1990s. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. OK, everyone, go out there and give them forty minutes of hell—don't even give them a chance to breathe!

forty ways from Sunday

Thoroughly or completely; in every possible way; from every conceivable angle. Everyone had their money on the reigning champion, but he was beaten forty ways from Sunday by the newcomer. We researched the case forty ways from Sunday, but there didn't seem to be any way that we could win with the evidence at hand.

forty ways to Sunday

Thoroughly or completely; in every possible way; from every conceivable angle. Everyone had their money on the reigning champion, but he was beaten forty ways to Sunday by the newcomer. We researched the case forty ways to Sunday, but there didn't seem to be any way that we could win with the evidence at hand.

forty winks

A nap or a brief sleep. When you have a baby for the first time, you are suddenly forced to learn how to operate on only forty winks at a time. I'm going to go grab a quick forty winks before everyone starts arriving for the dinner party.

See also: forty, wink

go two-forty

To move very quickly; to race. The phrase refers to a horse racing record of a mile completed in two minutes and 40 seconds. I need to start going two-forty through this paperwork if I want to have it done by the deadline.

have forty winks

To sleep for a short time; to take a nap. I had forty winks before we left for dinner, so I might actually stay awake now!

life begins at 40

cliché One has the skills, experience, and means by age 40 to truly enjoy life to its fullest. A: "I'm so depressed that I'm going to turn 40 next year." B: "Come on, Tom, life begins at 40. You've still got all sorts of adventures ahead of you!"

take forty winks

To sleep for a short time; to take a nap. I took forty winks before we left for dinner, so I might actually stay awake now!

the sunny side of (an age)

Just a little bit younger than a landmark age, such as 20, 30, 40, etc. The thriller centers on a young journalist on the sunny side of 30 discovering the treacherous world of politics in Washington, D.C. What would you know about a business like this? You're still on the sunny side of 20!

catch forty winks

and take forty winks; have forty winks

Fig. to take a nap; to get some sleep. I'll just catch forty winks before getting ready for the party. I think I'll go to bed and take forty winks. See you in the morning.

forty winks

Fig. a nap; some sleep. I could use forty winks before I have to get to work. I need forty winks before I get started again.

See also: forty, wink

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

forty winks

A brief nap, as in There's just time for forty winks before we have to leave. This expression supposedly was first recorded in 1828 and relies on wink in the sense of "sleep," a usage dating from the 14th century.

See also: forty, wink

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

forty winks

OLD-FASHIONED, INFORMAL

If you have forty winks, you have a short sleep. He always has forty winks after supper.

See also: forty, wink

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

forty winks

a short sleep or nap, especially during the day. informal

This expression dates from the early 19th century, but wink in the sense of ‘a closing of the eyes for sleep’ is found from the late 14th century.

See also: forty, wink

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

forty ˈwinks

(informal) a short sleep, especially during the day: I managed to get forty winks after lunch.

See also: forty, wink

be ˌpushing ˈ40, ˈ50, etc.

(informal) be nearly 40, 50, etc. years old: My grandmother’s pushing eighty but she’s as fit as ever.

be on the ˌright/ˌwrong side of ˈ40, ˈ50, etc.

(informal, often humorous) be younger/older than 40, 50, etc: ‘How old is she?’ ‘On the wrong side of forty, I’d say.’

forty winks

n. a nap; sleep. (Usually with a quantifier. Either forty or some, a few, a bunch of, etc.) I could use forty winks before I have to get to work.

See also: forty, wink

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

forty winks

A short nap. A wink has meant a sleep since the fourteenth century, when William Langland wrote “Thenne Wakede I of my wink” (Piers Ploughman, 1377). There is an apocryphal story about the origin of forty winks, stemming from an article in Punch (1872), the English humor magazine, about the long and tedious articles of faith required for Church of England clergy (“If a man, after reading through the thirty-nine Articles, were to take forty winks . . .”). However appealing this source, the term had appeared in print nearly a half-century earlier (in Pierce Egan’s Tom and Jerry, 1828), and its true origin has apparently been lost.

See also: forty, wink

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

See also:

acre
forty
Forty acres and a mule
40 acres and a mule
like Grant took Richmond
off the reservation
it ain't over till/until the fat lady sings
it ain't/it's not over till the fat lady sings
it isn't over till the fat lady sings
it isn't over until the fat lady sings

词组	40
释义	40 40 acres and a mule 1. Something given by the government. The phrase refers to a promise made during the Civil War by Union general William T. Sherman that freed slaves would receive 40 acres of land and a mule. However, after the war that land was given back to its original owners. I'm doing just fine on my own—I don't need 40 acres and a mule from Uncle Sam. 2. A promise or assurance that proves to be false. I think he's just tempting us with that offer, and it'll turn out to be 40 acres and a mule. See also: 40, acre, and, mule a fool at 40 is a fool forever proverb Someone who reaches middle age and continues to act foolishly is unlikely to start acting more maturely. A: "He's way too old to be spending his money so frivolously." B: "I know. A fool at 40 is a fool forever." See also: 40, fool, forever be (on) the right side of (an age) To be younger than a certain age. You can get away with dressing like a teenager when you're still on the right side of 30. I was never sore after working out when I was on the right side of 40! See also: of, right, side be (on) the wrong side of (an age) To be older than a certain age. Why is she dressing like a teenager when she is clearly the wrong side of 40? I'm sore after every workout these days, so I'm definitely on the wrong side of 30! See also: of, side, wrong be pushing (an age) To be approaching a particular age. I was never sore after my workouts until I was pushing 40. See also: pushing catch forty winks To sleep for a short time; to take a nap. Dad's upstairs catching forty winks before dinner. See also: catch, forty, wink forty minutes of hell In collegiate basketball, the entire duration (40 minutes) of a game played in a suffocating and aggressive manner against one's opponents. The phrase was reportedly coined by Nolan Richardson while coaching the Arkansas Razorbacks in the mid-1990s. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. OK, everyone, go out there and give them forty minutes of hell—don't even give them a chance to breathe! See also: forty, hell, minute, of forty ways from Sunday Thoroughly or completely; in every possible way; from every conceivable angle. Everyone had their money on the reigning champion, but he was beaten forty ways from Sunday by the newcomer. We researched the case forty ways from Sunday, but there didn't seem to be any way that we could win with the evidence at hand. See also: forty, Sunday, way forty ways to Sunday Thoroughly or completely; in every possible way; from every conceivable angle. Everyone had their money on the reigning champion, but he was beaten forty ways to Sunday by the newcomer. We researched the case forty ways to Sunday, but there didn't seem to be any way that we could win with the evidence at hand. See also: forty, Sunday, way forty winks A nap or a brief sleep. When you have a baby for the first time, you are suddenly forced to learn how to operate on only forty winks at a time. I'm going to go grab a quick forty winks before everyone starts arriving for the dinner party. See also: forty, wink go two-forty To move very quickly; to race. The phrase refers to a horse racing record of a mile completed in two minutes and 40 seconds. I need to start going two-forty through this paperwork if I want to have it done by the deadline. See also: go have forty winks To sleep for a short time; to take a nap. I had forty winks before we left for dinner, so I might actually stay awake now! See also: forty, have, wink life begins at 40 cliché One has the skills, experience, and means by age 40 to truly enjoy life to its fullest. A: "I'm so depressed that I'm going to turn 40 next year." B: "Come on, Tom, life begins at 40. You've still got all sorts of adventures ahead of you!" See also: 40, begin, life take forty winks To sleep for a short time; to take a nap. I took forty winks before we left for dinner, so I might actually stay awake now! See also: forty, take, wink the sunny side of (an age) Just a little bit younger than a landmark age, such as 20, 30, 40, etc. The thriller centers on a young journalist on the sunny side of 30 discovering the treacherous world of politics in Washington, D.C. What would you know about a business like this? You're still on the sunny side of 20! See also: of, side, sunny Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. catch forty winks and take forty winks; have forty winks Fig. to take a nap; to get some sleep. I'll just catch forty winks before getting ready for the party. I think I'll go to bed and take forty winks. See you in the morning. See also: catch, forty, wink forty winks Fig. a nap; some sleep. I could use forty winks before I have to get to work. I need forty winks before I get started again. See also: forty, wink McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. forty winks A brief nap, as in There's just time for forty winks before we have to leave. This expression supposedly was first recorded in 1828 and relies on wink in the sense of "sleep," a usage dating from the 14th century. See also: forty, wink The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. forty winks OLD-FASHIONED, INFORMAL If you have forty winks, you have a short sleep. He always has forty winks after supper. See also: forty, wink Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. forty winks a short sleep or nap, especially during the day. informal This expression dates from the early 19th century, but wink in the sense of ‘a closing of the eyes for sleep’ is found from the late 14th century. See also: forty, wink Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary forty ˈwinks (informal) a short sleep, especially during the day: I managed to get forty winks after lunch. See also: forty, wink be ˌpushing ˈ40, ˈ50, etc. (informal) be nearly 40, 50, etc. years old: My grandmother’s pushing eighty but she’s as fit as ever. See also: pushing be on the ˌright/ˌwrong side of ˈ40, ˈ50, etc. (informal, often humorous) be younger/older than 40, 50, etc: ‘How old is she?’ ‘On the wrong side of forty, I’d say.’ See also: of, on, right, side, wrong Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary forty winks n. a nap; sleep. (Usually with a quantifier. Either forty or some, a few, a bunch of, etc.) I could use forty winks before I have to get to work. See also: forty, wink McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions forty winks A short nap. A wink has meant a sleep since the fourteenth century, when William Langland wrote “Thenne Wakede I of my wink” (Piers Ploughman, 1377). There is an apocryphal story about the origin of forty winks, stemming from an article in Punch (1872), the English humor magazine, about the long and tedious articles of faith required for Church of England clergy (“If a man, after reading through the thirty-nine Articles, were to take forty winks . . .”). However appealing this source, the term had appeared in print nearly a half-century earlier (in Pierce Egan’s Tom and Jerry, 1828), and its true origin has apparently been lost. See also: forty, wink The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: acre forty Forty acres and a mule 40 acres and a mule like Grant took Richmond off the reservation it ain't over till/until the fat lady sings it ain't/it's not over till the fat lady sings it isn't over till the fat lady sings it isn't over until the fat lady sings
随便看	go to law go to meet (one's) maker go too far go to (one's) glory go to (one's) grave go to one's head go to (one's) head go to one's head, to go to (one's) reward go to pieces go to pot go to press go to press with go to press with (something) go to rack and ruin go to reward go to sea go to see a man about a dog go to seed go to show go to sleep go to (someone or something) go to (something) as (someone or something) go to the bathroom go to the bother