have\ two\ strikes\ against\ one

have\ two\ strikes\ against\ one
• have two strikes against one
• have two strikes on one
v. phr. informal
To have things working against you; be hindered in several ways; be in a difficult situation; be unlikely to succeed.

Children from the poorest parts of a city often have two strikes against them before they enter school.

George has two strikes against him already. Everybody is against what he wants to do.

Compare: behind the eight-ball. (In baseball, three strikes are out. If the umpire calls two strikes against the batter, he has only one strike left and will be out if he gets one more strike.)

Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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  • have two strikes against one — or[have two strikes on one] {v. phr.}, {informal} To have things working against you; be hindered in several ways; be in a difficult situation; be unlikely to succeed. * /Children from the poorest parts of a city often have two strikes against… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • have two strikes against one — or[have two strikes on one] {v. phr.}, {informal} To have things working against you; be hindered in several ways; be in a difficult situation; be unlikely to succeed. * /Children from the poorest parts of a city often have two strikes against… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • have two strikes against one — idi to be at a critical disadvantage: Without a job or a bank account, I ll have two strikes against me[/ex] …   From formal English to slang

  • have two strikes against one — have things working against one, be in a difficult situation He already has two strikes against him and it will be very difficult for him to get the job …   Idioms and examples

  • have\ two\ strikes\ on\ one — • have two strikes against one • have two strikes on one v. phr. informal To have things working against you; be hindered in several ways; be in a difficult situation; be unlikely to succeed. Children from the poorest parts of a city often have… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • two — See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA or BETWEEN TWO FIRES, TWO CENTS, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, CUT BOTH WAYS or CUT TWO WAYS, HAVE TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE, IN TWO, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT, PUT …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • two — See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA or BETWEEN TWO FIRES, TWO CENTS, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, CUT BOTH WAYS or CUT TWO WAYS, HAVE TWO STRIKES AGAINST ONE, IN TWO, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT, PUT …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • two — See: between the devil and the deep blue sea or between two fires, two cents, bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, cut both ways or cut two ways, have two strikes against one, in two, kill two birds with one stone, no two ways about it, put …   Словарь американских идиом

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