tatters
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++tat·ters /ˈtætəz $ -ərz/ noun [plural] 1 in tatters a) DAMAGEif a plan or someone’s reputation is in tatters, it is ruined 〔计划、声誉等〕千疮百孔的，被毁的 Tonight, the peace agreement lies in tatters. 今晚，和平协议被彻底撕毁了。 His credibility is in tatters after a series of defeats and failures. 经过多次失败后他信誉扫地。 b) DCTEARclothes that are in tatters are old and torn 〔衣服〕破旧的，破烂的2. DCTEARclothing that is old and torn 破旧的衣服 SYN rags
Examples from the Corpus
tatters• Banners burnt, and tatters twisted, in every way.• Her hands are claws she keeps concealed within her rags and tatters.• The articles of Arthur Ronald Constance, the famed ring columnist, lined the walls in ancient, browned, curling tatters.• To see a starvIng man eating lobster salad and drinking Rhine wine, barefooted and in tatters, was curious.• On May 4 that year a demoralised Labour Party lost office, its credibility in tatters.• But that lay in tatters last night after the latest revelations.• He said he was now a broken and sorry man whose life is virtually in tatters.• He sat shame-faced as a court heard that his career was in tatters because of the stag night brawl.Origin tatters (1400-1500) From a Scandinavian languagetat·ters nounChineseSyllable
if Corpus in tatters, plan a or reputation is someone’s
tatters
tat‧ters /ˈtætəz $ -ərz/
noun [plural]
a. if a plan or someone’s reputation is in tatters, it is ruined:
Tonight, the peace agreement lies in tatters.
His credibility is in tatters after a series of defeats and failures.
b. clothes that are in tatters are old and torn
2. clothing that is old and torn
SYN rags
tat‧ters /ˈtætəz $ -ərz/
noun [plural] Date: 1400-1500
Origin: From a Scandinavian language
1. in tattersOrigin: From a Scandinavian language
a. if a plan or someone’s reputation is in tatters, it is ruined:
b. clothes that are in tatters are old and torn
2. clothing that is old and torn
SYN rags
