| 词源 |
tempest in a teapot. This saying for “making a big fuss over a trifle,” was first a tempest in a teacup. It has been traced back only to 1857, but is probably older. Similar early English say- ings were “storm in a wash basin” and “a storm in a cream bowl” (1678). For that matter Cicero, as far back as 400 b.c., re- ferred to a contemporary who “stirred up waves in a wine la- dle,” and he indicated that the expression was ancient See alsotea. |