糊涂英語(yǔ)
hold all the cards
One man held all the cards at the political con--vention.hold all the cards源于撲克牌游戲,直譯是“掌握所有的牌”,喻指“掌握整個(gè)局勢(shì)”“有把握”。上句可譯為:一個(gè)人支配了這次政治會(huì)議的全局。
play all one's cards
l haven'tplayed all my cards yet.We can stillmake a deal.play all one's cards直譯是“打出某人所有的牌”,喻指“采取—切手段/方法”“使出渾身解數(shù)”。上句可譯為:我們還沒(méi)有到窮途末路的地步,我們?nèi)钥梢宰鲆还P交易。play one's lastcard,采取最后手段。I ask you before you playyour last card and destroy me,to consider whereyou will be without me.在你們采取最后的手段毀滅我之前,我請(qǐng)你們好好想想,沒(méi)有我你們會(huì)怎樣。keep/play one's cards close to one's/the chest
He keeps his cards incredibly close to his chest.We have no idea what he thinks.keep/play one'scards close to one's/the chest直譯是“把牌放在靠近胸口處”。玩牌的時(shí)候人們往往不露聲色,小心謹(jǐn)慎,把牌放在靠胸口的地方,不讓他人看到。此語(yǔ)即指“守口如瓶”“秘而不宣”。上句可譯為:他令人難以置信地對(duì)自己前途的看法守口如瓶,我們不知道他怎么想。
play one's cards
We'll succeed if we play our cards right.playone'scards直譯是“出某人的牌”,喻指“某人采取行動(dòng)”“某人做決策”。出牌有好壞,因此playone's cards后可接不同的副詞,如:right intelligently,properly,sensibly,well或badly,insensibly,unwisely等。上句可譯為:如果我們做得對(duì),我們會(huì)成功。
put/lay one's cards on the table
They asked Smith to put his cards on the table.put ene's cards on the table原指當(dāng)牌玩到最后一著時(shí),人們便把牌放在桌子上,即攤牌。后此語(yǔ)泛指“表明某人的真實(shí)意圖”“展示某人的計(jì)劃”。上句可譯為:他們要求史密斯攤牌。與此語(yǔ)同義的還有show one's cards和show one's hand。Theimpending resolution forced him to show his hand.即將表決的議案迫使他說(shuō)了實(shí)話。
[河谷]
雋語(yǔ)錄
Making someone happy is perhaps the humblestway of approaching happiness.
逗人開心,也許是獲得快樂(lè)的最簡(jiǎn)單的方法。
——安東尼奧·加拉
Half our troubles and those of the world spring from deeds done for the greater glory of Men.
我們的煩惱以及世界的憂慮,有一源于人類要建功立業(yè)。
——蓋伊·巴特勒
Old age begins when we rise in the morningwithout a goal and lie down at night without hope.
假若你早晨起床時(shí)心里沒(méi)有任何目標(biāo),晚上就寢時(shí)心里沒(méi)有任何期望,那表示你開始老了。
——奧古斯都·B·巴爾
Medical science has made such enormous prog-ross that there are hardly any healthy people left.
醫(yī)學(xué)的發(fā)展一日千里,幾乎在每個(gè)人身上都可以找出一兩種毛病。
——J·G·M·羅斯馬倫
There is only one thing in the world worse thanbeing talked about,and that is not being talked about.
世界上只有一件事比被人議論更糟,那就是根本沒(méi)有人議論。
——奧斯卡·王爾德