Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

measure the drapes

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.90 in modern English

Syllables
mea-sure the -drapes
IPA
24
Scrabble Score
16
Letters
3
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To make premature or unwarranted preparations for victory, especially election to public office.

Example Sentences

Etymology

After the election of a new President of the United States, the decor of the White House is changed to reflect the taste of the new administration. Historically the task has been left to the First Lady, the wife of the President. During the 1940 campaign for President, Senator Robert Taft of Ohio sought the Republican Party nomination. His wife, Martha Taft, gave an interview to the Evening Independent of St. Petersburg, Florida, in which she expressed certainty of his victory: * 1940 February 19, Evening Independent, page 11: Martha Taft is sure that "Bob is going to get it." She is ready to answer questions in regular stump style, though she refuses to say whether she will change the drawing-room drapes in the White House. Since Taft won neither the general election nor his party's nomination, the idea of "measuring the drapes" for installation in the White House became a metaphor for premature preparation for victory, or over-confidence.

Inflected Forms

measures the drapes (present, singular) measuring the drapes (participle, present) measured the drapes (participle, past) measured the drapes (past)

Synonyms

measure the curtains

Questions

What does measure the drapes mean?
To make premature or unwarranted preparations for victory, especially election to public office.
Where does measure the drapes come from?
After the election of a new President of the United States, the decor of the White House is changed to reflect the taste of the new administration. Historically the task has been left to the First Lady, the wife of the President. During the 1940 campaign for President, Senator Robert Taft of Ohio sought the Republican Party nomination. His wife, Martha Taft, gave an interview to the Evening Independent of St. Petersburg, Florida, in which she expressed certainty of his victory: * 1940 February 19, Evening Independent, page 11: Martha Taft is sure that "Bob is going to get it." She is ready to answer questions in regular stump style, though she refuses to say whether she will change the drawing-room drapes in the White House. Since Taft won neither the general election nor his party's nomination, the idea of "measuring the drapes" for installation in the White House became a metaphor for premature preparation for victory, or over-confidence.

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