break a butterfly upon the wheel

动词 v.
中文释义

英文释义

动词 v.
  1. To inflict a punishment out of all proportion to the offence.
    — Let Paris tremble—“What? that Thing of ſilk, “Paris, that mere white Curd of Aſs’s milk? “Satire or Shame alas! can Paris feel? “Who breaks a Butterfly upon a Wheel?” Yet let me flap this Bug with gilded wings, This painted Child of Dirt that ſtinks and ſtings
  2. To employ great exertions for insignificant ends.

词形变化

breaks a butterfly upon the wheel present,singular,third-person breaking a butterfly upon the wheel participle,present broke a butterfly upon the wheel past broken a butterfly upon the wheel participle,past break a butterfly on a wheel alternative break a butterfly on the wheel alternative break a butterfly upon a wheel alternative break a fly on a wheel alternative break a fly on the wheel alternative break a fly upon a wheel alternative break a fly upon the wheel alternative

词汇关系

相关词
butterfly upon a wheel use a sledgehammer to crack a nut

词源

Coined by English poet Alexander Pope in 1734 in Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot.
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