fall between two stools - Wiktionary

VerbEdit · (idiomatic, of tasks, issues, problems, items) To fit into neither of two categories and, hence, be neglected or fail. quotations ▽. 1996, Mike ... fallbetweentwostools DefinitionfromWiktionary,thefreedictionary Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch Contents 1English 1.1Etymology 1.2Pronunciation 1.3Verb 1.3.1Synonyms 1.3.2Translations English[edit] Etymology[edit] Fromanoldproverb,"Betweentwostools,onefallstotheground",whichdatesfrom1390.This,inturn,ismostlikelyatranslationofthemedievalLatinproverblabiturenitenssellisherereduabus("hefallstryingtositontwoseats"). Pronunciation[edit] Audio(AU)(file) Verb[edit] fallbetweentwostools(third-personsingularsimplepresentfallsbetweentwostools,presentparticiplefallingbetweentwostools,simplepastfellbetweentwostools,pastparticiplefallenbetweentwostools) (idiomatic,oftasks,issues,problems,items)Tofitintoneitheroftwocategoriesand,hence,beneglectedorfail. 1996,MikeLawrence,AtoZofSportsCars,1945-1990:Unfortunately,itfellbetweentwostools:itwasnotgoodenoughtobeacompetitioncarandthosewhowantedaroadburnerpreferredtheIsoGrifo,whichwasbetterequipped. 2006,RichardRex,HenryVIIIandtheEnglishReformation:EvenHenry'swillembodiesthatsuspensionbetweentwopoles,orfallingbetweentwostools,whichcharacterisessomuchofhischurch'shistoryfromthepoint. 2014,RobertWatt,Shakespeare'sHistoryPlays,page184:Patterson'stheroryhasprofoundimplicationsforanycriticalinterpretationoftheplay:if,assheargues,weshouldrecognisetwodistinctversionsoftheplaywithverydifferentpoliticaleffects,aninterpretationwhichignoresthedifferencesislikelytofallbetweentwostools. (idiomatic)Toattempttworolesandfailatboth,wheneithercouldhavebeenaccomplishedsingly. 1857,AnthonyTrollope,BarchesterTowers,TheCenturyCo.(1902),page252: “[…]She[Dido]couldnotbeartolosethelandshehadgotbyaswindle;andthenshecouldnotbearthelossofherlover.Soshefellbetweentwostools.[…]” 1910,SydneyHumphries,OrientalCarpets,RunnersandRugsandSomeJacquardReproductions,READBOOKS(2010),→ISBN,page22: Failingtogetridoftheoldlove[Medea]beforetakingonthenew—inotherwords,wastinghisstrengthoveranewanduntriedmethodbeforehavingfullyestablishedtheold—he[Jason]fellbetweentwostools. 1929,CharlesHowardEllis,TheOrigin,Structure&WorkingoftheLeagueofNations,TheLawbookExchange,Ltd.(2004),→ISBN,page153: TheCouncil,bytryingtocombineitsfunctionsastheresponsibleexecutiveoftheLeaguewithsomeoftherepresentativeattributesoftheAssembly,hastosomeextentfallenbetweentwostools,andgivestheimpressionofnotbeingcertainofitsrôle. 2003,ChrisJones,TheGuerilla[sic]FilmMakersMovieBlueprint,ContinuumInternationalPublishingGroup,→ISBN,page21: Asyourchancesofmega-successincreasesodoyourchancesoffallingbetweentwostools,andifyougetitwrong,youcouldendupwithadog’sdinnerthatsatisfiesnoone. Synonyms[edit] fallinagreyarea Translations[edit] toattempttwotasksandfailatboth Hebrew:נָפַלבֵּיןהַכִּסְאוֹת‎ (he)(nafálbēnhakis'ót) Icelandic:setjastmillitveggjastóla,gjaldaóákveðnisinnar Japanese:二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず (ja)(にとをおうものはいっとをもえず,nitoooumonowaittoomoezu) Latin:duabussellissedeo Retrievedfrom"https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=fall_between_two_stools&oldid=68599780" Categories:EnglishtermswithaudiolinksEnglishlemmasEnglishverbsEnglishmultiwordtermsEnglishidiomsEnglishtermswithquotationsHiddencategories:Templatewithrawlink/en-verbTemplatewithrawlink/en-verb/1 Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces EntryDiscussion English Views ReadEditHistory More Search Navigation MainPageCommunityportalPreferencesRequestedentriesRecentchangesRandomentryHelpGlossaryDonationsContactus Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispage Print/export CreateabookDownloadasPDFPrintableversion Inotherlanguages Eestiಕನ್ನಡ