APAD: Accidentally on Purpose

Meaning:                                                                       

                                                                               

Deliberately, but feigning accident.                                           

                                                                               

Background:                                                                    

                                                                               

The first printed record of this phrase that I (Gary Martin) can find is from

The history of the famous preacher Friar Gerund de Campazas, by Jos Francisco de

Isla, 1772:                                                                    

                                                                               

    Tell us what is Modesty of Voice, for you happened accidentally on purpose

    to drop this word, and I don't rightly know what it signifies.             

                                                                               

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"Accidentally" itself, often suffices. In Foyle's War 9.2, Trespass,

 

    Foyle: "Well, the Woolf family were hurt rather badly."                    

    Jennings: "Sir David's death was an accident."

    Foyle: "So you threatened him accidentally? You beat up his son accidentally?"

    

I wonder if the script writer had our idom in mind when he wrote the above. "on

purpose" can add some humor, I think.

所有跟帖： 

• Sorry, I did it on purpose -移花接木- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 09:08:45

• To make it more confusing :-) -7grizzly- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 12:49:12

• 装聋作哑；装疯卖傻。 -方外居士- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 10:30:05

• Accurate! -7grizzly- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 12:48:44

• 江湖人称：戏精。老戏骨。LOL -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 11:01:15

• 查了一下，戏精的英文是drama queen。和今天APAD的意思还是有区别的。 -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 11:42:46

• "戏精" sounds from a misogynist :-)) -7grizzly- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 12:48:24

• Nope. 无性别，无国界。LOL -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 16:46:12

• A tricky one, like when a boy bumps into a gril he likes ;-) -最西边的岛上- ♀ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 13:40:48

• Come to think of it, God plays no dice&nothing's by accident -7grizzly- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 14:26:49

• The girl saw it coming a mile away and just played along :-) -7grizzly- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 14:31:13

• hahaha, then they might have a happy ending ;-) -最西边的岛上- ♀ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 16:36:05

• 哈哈，这个例子一下子让今天的APAD变得sweet 了～～ -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 17:14:31

• 假装偶然 -妖妖灵- ♀ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 14:33:21

• 以为没人看出来 :-) -7grizzly- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 14:54:16

• 假装偶遇？~~ -moonlight7- ♂ (0 bytes) () 02/28/2024 postreply 17:32:01

• 续写西岛的故事？：） -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 02/29/2024 postreply 10:15:43