brassbound
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Trimmed or fitted with brass: Describes an object that has decorative or functional parts made of brass.
- Inflexibly entrenched and unchangeable: Describes an attitude, rule, tradition, or person that is rigidly fixed and resistant to any change.
Usage Examples
- Adjective (Trimmed with brass):
- The antique sea captain's desk was a brassbound chest.
- He knocked on the old ship's brassbound door.
- Adjective (Inflexible):
- The organization was known for its brassbound adherence to outdated rules.
- She was a brassbound traditionalist who opposed any modern reforms.
Advanced Usage
- "Brassbound" is often used in a figurative sense to criticize stubbornness or an unwillingness to adapt.
- His brassbound ideology made compromise impossible.
- It can describe loyalty that is seen as unthinking or rigid.
- The senator was a brassbound party loyalist who always voted along party lines.
Variants and Related Words
- Brass (noun): A yellow metal alloy of copper and zinc.
- Ironclad (adjective): Similar in meaning to the "inflexible" sense; unable to be changed or disputed.
- An ironclad guarantee.
- Entrenched (adjective): Firmly established and difficult to change.
- Entrenched beliefs.
Synonyms
- Inflexible: Unwilling to change or compromise.
- Unyielding: Not giving way to pressure; stubborn.
- Adamant: Refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind.
- Obdurate: Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.
Idioms and Related Phrases
- Set in one's ways: Having fixed habits and opinions and being unlikely to change them. (This is a common phrase with a similar meaning to the figurative use of "brassbound").
- After fifty years in the job, he was too set in his ways to accept the new software.
Adjective
- having trim or fittings of brass
- a brassbound campaign chest
- the heavy brassbound door
- inflexibly entrenched and unchangeable
- brassbound traditions
- brassbound party loyalists
- an ironclad rule