have a checkered history/career/past etcFAILto have had periods of failure as well as successful times in your past 成败参半的历史/事业/过去等 This is an unusual building with a checkered history. 这是一幢非同寻常的建筑,经历过兴盛与衰落。
→ have a checkered history/career/past etc at checkered(1)