| 词组 | drive a coach and horses through (something) |
| 释义 | drive a coach and horses through (something)To expose the flaws in something, such as a statement, argument, or belief. Primarily heard in UK. The suspect had said he wasn't there that night but then drove a coach and horses through that idea with today's contradictory statement. drive a coach and horses through somethingFig. to expose weak points or "holes" in an argument, alibi, or criminal case by [figuratively] driving a horse and carriage through them. (Formal. Emphasizes the large size of the holes or gaps in the argument.) The barrister drove a horse and carnage through the witness's testimony. The opposition will drive a coach and horses through the wording of that government bill. drive a coach and horses through somethingmainly BRITISHIf you drive a coach and horses through an agreement or an established way of doing something, you destroy it or change it completely. The judgment appeared to drive a coach and horses through the Hague agreement. Ministers are driving a coach and horses through the plans. drive a coach and horses throughmake something entirely useless or ineffective. BritishAn early example of this idiom is found in this statement by the Irish lawyer Stephen Rice ( 1637–1715 ): ‘I will drive a coach and six horses through the Act of Settlement’. Early versions of the phrase also refer to a space big enough to turn a coach and six (or four ) (i.e. horses) in, but the context, following Rice's declaration, is very often that of rendering a law or regulation ineffective. 1997 Spectator A coach and horses was driven through one of the guiding principles of American statecraft. drive a coach and ˈhorses through somethingsucceed in avoiding certain rules, conditions, etc. in an obvious and important way, without being punished: The wage increase we’ve been given is three times the government’s limit. We’ve driven a coach and horses right through their pay policy. |
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