Two Strikes Against: When the Odds are Already Unfavorable ⚾
Who hasn’t felt like they’re already at a disadvantage before even starting? This cliché paints a vivid picture of fighting from behind, originating straight from America’s pastime: baseball. In baseball lingo, a batter is on thin ice with two strikes and must tread carefully not to be stricken out.
🌐 Related Terms and Phrases
- Backs against the wall: One has no more room to retreat and must face the challenge head-on.
- Up against it: Confronted with severe difficulty.
- Playing from behind: Will need extra effort to overcome the initial disadvantage.
- In the hole: In a bad situation, often financially.
💬 Common Expressions
- On thin ice: In a fragile or risky situation.
- Swimming upstream: Doing something against the prevailing trend or with great difficulty.
- Uphill battle: A difficult challenge, as if climbing a steep hill.
📚 Similar Proverbs and Their Essence
- “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky (Also about chances and setbacks)
- “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” — Babe Ruth (Speaks about resilience)
🎬 Recommendations in Popular Culture:
- Movies: Rocky, The Pursuit of Happyness, The Blind Side
- Literature: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Atticus Finch teaches resilience)
- Poetry: If by Rudyard Kipling (An ode to persistence and grace under pressure)
- Songs: “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor (The ultimate underdog anthem)
Quotes:
“A knight in shining armor is a man who has never had his metal truly tested.” — Anonymous
### The idiom "two strikes against" originates from which sport?
- [x] Baseball
- [ ] Basketball
- [ ] Hockey
- [ ] Golf
> **Explanation:** The term comes from baseball where a batter is given three chances to hit the ball. "Two strikes against" means they are only one strike away from losing their turn.
### Which phrase means having one's back against the wall?
- [ ] Playing with shadow
- [x] Up against it
- [ ] Running parallel
- [ ] Flying on fumes
> **Explanation:** "Up against it" means being confronted with a difficult situation with limited options for success.
### True or False: "In the hole" refers to a financially bad situation.
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** This idiom generally refers to being in debt or in a difficult financial situation.
### Which of these expressions encapsulates a difficult challenge?
- [ ] Running with bulls
- [ ] Writing with chocolate
- [x] Uphill battle
- [ ] Dancing with clouds
> **Explanation:** An "uphill battle" signifies facing a hard struggle as if one were climbing a steep incline.
Thank you for diving into the depths of clichés with me. Always remember, even when faced with two strikes, each day offers a chance for a home run.
—Fielding W. Wordsworth
