词汇 | an old wives' tale |
释义 | Idiom an old wives' tale a piece of advice or an idea which a lot of people believed in the past but which we now know is wrong.It's an old wives' tale that drinking alcohol before you go to bed helps you sleep. old wives' taleA now-debunked story or idea that was once believed, often superstitiously. How can you believe in that old wives' tale? Oh, that's just an old wives' tale! A broken mirror does not guarantee seven years' bad luck. an old wives' taleCOMMON An old wives' tale is a belief that a lot of people have that is based on traditional ideas, often ones which have been proved to be incorrect. My mother used to tell me to feed a cold and starve a fever. Is it just an old wives' tale? It's not just an old wives' tale, you know, that full moons and madness go together. an old wives' talea widely held traditional belief that is now thought to be unscientific or incorrect.The phrase (and its earlier variant old wives' fable ) is recorded from the early 16th century, with the earliest example being from Tyndale's translation of the Bible. an old ˈwives’ tale(disapproving) an old idea or belief that has proved not to be scientific: When you’re expecting a baby, people tell you all sorts of old wives’ tales.The belief that make-up ruins your skin is just an old wives’ tale. |
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