英语词汇sixes and sevens的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

sixes and sevens. I’m at sixes and sevens, in a state of confu- sion, trying to explain this expression, which dates back to 1340. One theory is that it comes from the biblical phrase (Job 5:19): “He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee.” More likely the term evolved from the old dice game of hazard. Sinque and sice (“five” and “six”) were the most risky bets to make in the old game, and anyone who tried to throw these numbers was considered careless and con- fused. Later, sinque and sice became “six” and “seven.” Perhaps the change simply occurred because the terms looked and sounded somewhat alike. But it is possible that six and seven (an impossible throw in dice and two numbers that add up to the unlucky 13) represents a joking shift. Only about a century and a half ago did set on six and seven take on its plural forms and become (set) at sixes and sevens. The phrase is still widely used today. A similar, older Italian expression, a tredici, “at 13,” may be the source of the expression.

词汇	sixes and sevens
词源	sixes and sevens. I’m at sixes and sevens, in a state of confu- sion, trying to explain this expression, which dates back to 1340. One theory is that it comes from the biblical phrase (Job 5:19): “He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee.” More likely the term evolved from the old dice game of hazard. Sinque and sice (“five” and “six”) were the most risky bets to make in the old game, and anyone who tried to throw these numbers was considered careless and con- fused. Later, sinque and sice became “six” and “seven.” Perhaps the change simply occurred because the terms looked and sounded somewhat alike. But it is possible that six and seven (an impossible throw in dice and two numbers that add up to the unlucky 13) represents a joking shift. Only about a century and a half ago did set on six and seven take on its plural forms and become (set) at sixes and sevens. The phrase is still widely used today. A similar, older Italian expression, a tredici, “at 13,” may be the source of the expression.
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