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enemy
enemy be one's own worst enemy act in a way contrary to one's own interests. It is said that the Labour politician Ernest Bevin (1881–1951), on hearing the comment that Aneurin Bevan was sometimes his own worst enemy, responded, ‘Not while I'm alive 'e ain't!’ (The comment is also attributed to Bevin of Herbert Morrison.)
the enemy of my enemy is my friend modern proverbial saying, sometimes said to be of Arab origin, and frequently used in discussions of western diplomacy in the Middle East. See also the best is the enemy of the good, it is good to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy, the good is the enemy of the best, there is no little enemy, public enemy number one. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "enemy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "enemy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-enemy.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "enemy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-enemy.html |
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enemy
en·e·my / ˈenəmē/ • n. (pl. -mies) a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. ∎ (the enemy) [treated as sing. or pl.] a hostile nation or its armed forces or citizens, esp. in time of war: the enemy shot down four helicopters [as adj.] enemy aircraft. ∎ a thing that harms or weakens something else: routine is the enemy of art. ORIGIN: Middle English: from Old French enemi, from Latin inimicus, from in- ‘not’ + amicus ‘friend.’ |
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"enemy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "enemy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-enemy.html "enemy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-enemy.html |
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Enemy
217. Enemy
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"Enemy." Allusions--Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. 1986. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Enemy." Allusions--Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. 1986. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505500226.html "Enemy." Allusions--Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. 1986. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505500226.html |
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enemy
enemy n. pl. -ies
1. a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. 2. (the enemy) a hostile nation or its armed forces or citizens, especially in time of war: the enemy shot down four helicopters | enemy aircraft. |
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"enemy." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "enemy." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-enemy.html "enemy." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-enemy.html |
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enemy
enemy XIII. — OF. enemi (mod. ennemi) :- L. inimīcus, f. IN-2 + amīcus friend.
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T. F. HOAD. "enemy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "enemy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-enemy.html T. F. HOAD. "enemy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-enemy.html |
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enemy
enemy
•chamois, clammy, gammy, Grammy, hammy, jammy, mammae, mammee, mammy, Miami, ramie, rammy, Sammy, shammy, whammy
•acme, drachmae
•Lakshmi
•army, balmy, barmy, gourami, macramé, origami, palmy, pastrami, salami, smarmy, swami, tsunami, Yanomami
•Clemmie, Emmy, jemmy, lemme, semi
•elmy
•Amy, cockamamie, flamy, gamy, Jamie, Mamie, samey
•beamy, creamy, dreamy, gleamy, Mimi, preemie, seamy, steamy
•gimme, shimmy, Timmy
•pygmy • filmy
•arch-enemy, enemy
•synonymy • Jeremy • sashimi
•blimey, gorblimey, grimy, limey, slimy, stymie, thymy
•commie, mommy, pommie, pommy, tommy
•dormy, stormy
•foamy, homey, loamy, Naomi, Salome
•polychromy
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"enemy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "enemy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-enemy.html "enemy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-enemy.html |
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