move the goalposts

뜻

to change the rules unfairly once work has started

일이 시작된 뒤 규칙을 부당하게 바꾸다.

예문

1. 1The client moved the goalposts twice, and the deadline stayed the same.
2. 2Examiners should not move the goalposts once revision has started.
3. 3Every time we agree a budget, head office moves the goalposts again.
4. 4Leo felt cheated when the landlord moved the goalposts days before the contract was signed.
5. 5Are they moving the goalposts, or did we misread the original terms?

문법

형태가 바뀌는 것은 동사뿐이며, 뜻의 변화 없이 move 대신 shift를 쓸 수 있다. goalposts는 복수로, 정관사 the와 함께 쓴다.

비슷한 뜻