英文短语“steal one’s thunder(抢了某人的锋头)”的来历

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英文短语“steal one’s thunder(抢了某人的锋头)”的来历

帖子 Mia2014 » 周四 9月 30, 2021 9:06 pm

The Man Who Had His Thunder Stolen

John Dennis was a playwright in the early 1700s. In February 1709, his new play opened which featured his new invention. A machine which made a more realistic sound of thunder. But, the audience hated the play and it was shut down after just four days and replaced with a production of a Shakespeare play.

Dennis went to see the new play and had a great shock. The theatre was using his new sound effect. He was furious and shouted: “Damn them. They will not let my play run, but they will steal my thunder.”

The phrase stuck and now to ’steal someone’s thunder’ means ‘to do what someone else was going to do before they do it, especially if this takes success or praise away from them.’

For example, “I did 90% of the work on the project. But because Jeremey presented it, everybody thinks they were his ideas. He totally stole my thunder!”
“Mo had the perfect answer for the teacher, but Sally said it first. She really stole Mo’s thunder.”
“I was telling a joke but Luana stole my thunder when she said the punchline.”

When was the last time someone stole your thunder?

From BBC English Learning

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