poison the well

动词 v.

英文释义

动词 v.
  1. To preemptively raise ad hominem arguments in order to discredit someone. intransitive
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see poison, the, well.

词形变化

poisons the well present,singular,third-person poisoning the well participle,present poisoned the well participle,past poisoned the well past

词源

First used figuratively by Catholic philosopher and Doctor of the Church John Henry Newman in his work Apologia Pro Vita Sua (1864), evidently in reference to the wartime tactic of well poisoning.
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