| 词汇 | be all things to all people |
| 释义 | Idiom be all things to all men and be all things to all people Theme: UNIVERSALITY [for someone or something] to be liked or used by all people; [for someone or something] to be everything that is wanted by all people.You simply can't be all things to all people.The candidate set out to be all things to all men and came off looking very wishy-washy. be all things to all peopleTo be liked or appreciated by everyone, usually through overt efforts to please them. I know you want your students to like you, but you have to discipline them when they misbehave. You can't be all things to all people. I don't trust that candidate—he is trying to be all things to all people and still hasn't committed to a clear course of action. all things to all people, beSatisfy everyone completely, as in The trouble with the governor's campaign is that she is trying to be all things to all people . This proverbial expression is sometimes phrased be all things to all men, but today men is often replaced by people to avoid gender discrimination. The expression originated in Paul's statement (I Corinthians 9:22): "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." Today it often appears in a political context, but phrased negatively, as in He wants to be a good school committee member, but he can't be all things to all people. be all ˌthings to all ˈmen/ˈpeople(saying) change the way you behave or what you say to try to please the people you are with: The President’s attempts to be all things to all men had disastrous consequences. |
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