be down and out; be in dire straits
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 2 examplesadjective
down-and-out; poverty-stricken; in dire straits
literaryA literary term describing a state of poverty and failure in life.
Tā他
wǎn晚
nián年
shēng生
huó活
luò落
bó泊
。
His life was down-and-out in his later years.
Zhè这
wèi位
shī诗
rén人
yī一
shēng生
luò落
bó泊
，
què却
liú留
xià下
le了
bù不
xiǔ朽
de的
shī诗
piān篇
。
This poet lived in poverty all his life, yet left behind immortal poems.