| 词组 | keep our powder dry |
| 释义 | (redirected from keep our powder dry)keep (one's) powder dryTo be prepared to act with little advance notice. The phrase refers to gunpowder, which needs to be kept dry in order to work properly. I know this job opportunity didn't work out, but keep your powder dry for the next one that comes along. keep one's powder dryStay alert, be careful, as in Go ahead and take on the opposition, but keep your powder dry. This colloquial expression, which originally alluded to keeping gunpowder dry so that it would ignite, has been used figuratively since the 1800s but today is less common than take care. keep your powder dryIf you keep your powder dry, you remain ready to take action if necessary. He must keep his powder dry for the really important issues. Note: The powder referred to here is gunpowder. The expression comes from a story about the English leader Oliver Cromwell. He is said to have ended a speech to his soldiers, who were about to cross a river and go into battle, by saying: `Put your trust in God, my boys, and keep your powder dry.' keep your powder drybe ready for action; remain alert for a possible emergency.When his troops were about to cross a river, the English statesman and general Oliver Cromwell ( 1599–1658 ) is said to have exorted them: ‘Put your trust in God; but mind to keep your powder dry’. The powder referred to is gunpowder. 1998 Independent Instead of keeping its powder dry for the important things, New Labour's political fate is being inextricably bound up with events over which mere politicians can have no control. keep your ˈpowder dry(old-fashioned) remain ready for a possible emergency: The bank is not cutting interest rates at the moment, preferring to keep its powder dry in case it’s forced to cut them in the future.This comes from advice given by Oliver Cromwell to his troops when they were crossing a river before battle. Powder here refers to the gunpowder used to fire bullets.keep (one's) powder dry To be ready for a challenge with little warning. keep your powder dryTake care of yourself; be prepared. This phrase was uttered by Oliver Cromwell in 1642, when his regiment was about to attack the enemy at the battle of Edgehill. “Put your trust in God,” he told his troops, “but keep your powder dry.” Wet gunpowder was very difficult to ignite, and with it a soldier would in effect be unarmed. The term was transferred to other enterprises in the nineteenth century. In the twentieth century it was sometimes used jocularly to mean a woman’s makeup (face powder). |
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