| 词汇 | balls to the wall |
| 词源 | balls to the wall. Originally a military aircraft term, this ex- pression dates back to about 1966 and means at full speed, to the extreme, all out, maximum effort. According to the New Dictionary of American Slang (1986), the phrase derives “from the thrusting of an aircraft throttle, topped by a ball, to the bulkhead of the cockpit to attain full speed.” Usually considered vulgar or obscene, the expression is commonly heard in Wash- ington, D.C., today. |
| 随便看 |
|
英语词源词典收录了13259条英语词源词条，基本涵盖了全部常用英语词汇的起源、历史，是研究英语词汇或通过词源学英语的必备工具。