1590s, "small bomb used to blow in doors and breach walls," from French pétard (late 16c.), from Middle French péter "break wind," from Old French pet "a fart," from Latin peditum, noun use of neuter past participle of pedere "to break wind," from PIE root *pezd- "to fart" (see feisty). Surviving in phrase hoist with one's own petard (or some variant) "blown up with one's own bomb," which is ultimately from Shakespeare (1605):
For tis the sport to haue the enginer Hoist with his owne petar ("Hamlet" III.iv.207).
See hoist.
雙語例句
1. It was indeed a clever plan to entrap his opponent, but in the end he was hoist by his own petard.
設(shè)圈套陷害他的對(duì)手固然是個(gè)妙計(jì), 可是到頭來卻是作法自斃.
來自《簡(jiǎn)明英漢詞典》
2. The police hoisted the criminal with his own petard.
警察使罪犯搬起石頭砸自己的腳.
來自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
3. Critics say he is in danger of being hoist with his own petard.