英语词汇go to the wall的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

go to the wall. A traveler set upon by robbers in medieval times tried to protect his back against the wall of a street or coun- try lane so that he didn’t have to worry about anyone running him through from the rear while he defended himself with his sword. But to go to the wall nevertheless suggested serious diffi- culties, for someone in such a position still had to fight off at- tackers from three sides. So the phrase came to describe anyone in serious straits, anyone up against it, down to his last resources, physical or financial. The expression driven to the wall and up against the wall derive, just as early, from the same situation.

词汇	go to the wall
词源	go to the wall. A traveler set upon by robbers in medieval times tried to protect his back against the wall of a street or coun- try lane so that he didn’t have to worry about anyone running him through from the rear while he defended himself with his sword. But to go to the wall nevertheless suggested serious diffi- culties, for someone in such a position still had to fight off at- tackers from three sides. So the phrase came to describe anyone in serious straits, anyone up against it, down to his last resources, physical or financial. The expression driven to the wall and up against the wall derive, just as early, from the same situation.
随便看	it must have been one of the nuts it rains on the just and unjust alike i trust it-s nothing trivial its it-s a great life if you don’t weaken it-s all in a day-s work it-s all over but the shouting it-s all worth it including the final crash it-s always the best swimmers that drown it-s a naive domestic burgundy without any breeding but i think you’ll be amused by its presumptions it-s a new ball game it-s chess not checkers it-s greek to me it-s how you played the game it smells of the lamp it-s naughty but it-s nice it-s not brain surgery it-s not cricket it-s not funny it-s not over till the fat lady sings it-s not the size of the dog in the fight it-s the size of the fight in the dog it-s not what it-s cracked up to be it-s the berries it-s the only ballgame in town it-s the pits