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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary
Meaning
Hi friends,
I have some problem with the following structure. "The powers that be had not decided ..." In the text.
“The guy began by saying they should call him Ed. Ed hoped they were now feeling comfortable, and that they knew—as he did!—that they had made the right choice. Now he’d like to give them—share with them—a deeper peek behind the scenes. The powers that be had not decided easily on this plan, he said.”
"be had pp" make me confuse,
That's true?
I have some problem with the following structure. "The powers that be had not decided ..." In the text.
“The guy began by saying they should call him Ed. Ed hoped they were now feeling comfortable, and that they knew—as he did!—that they had made the right choice. Now he’d like to give them—share with them—a deeper peek behind the scenes. The powers that be had not decided easily on this plan, he said.”
"be had pp" make me confuse,
That's true?
Top answer
org/wiki/The powers_that_be %28phrase%29 '.
- org/wiki/The powers_that_be %28phrase%29 '.
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3 Answers
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The subject of the verb 'had not decided' is 'the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thepowers_that_be%28phrase%29'.
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"Powers-that-be" is a idiomatic noun meaning the established authority or administration, or those with effective power in a given situation.
"The powers that be had not decided easily on this plan..." is roughly equivalent to saying "Those in power (the administration/the authorities) had not decided easily on this plan..." but using the idiom gives it a softer tone.
"The powers that be had not decided easily on this plan..." is roughly equivalent to saying "Those in power (the administration/the authorities) had not decided easily on this plan..." but using the idiom gives it a softer tone.
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