在和老外交流时,你是否曾对他们脱口而出的奇怪表达一头雾水?比如 “He got my goat”,要是直译为 “他得到了我的山羊”,那可就大错特错啦!这句看似摸不着头脑的话,背后有着独特含义。想知道这背后的门道,以及如何在日常交流中准确理解类似让人困惑的英语表达吗?接着往下看,为你揭开谜团 。
“He got my goat” 是什么意思?
get sb's goat 是常用的俚语
在美剧或电影里也经常出现
意思是:使(某人)大为恼怒
也可以说成 get on sb's goat
所以 He got my goat = 他激怒了我。
例:
His constant interruptions during the meeting really got my goat.(他在会议期间不断打断别人,真的把我惹恼了。)
“old goat” 不止是老山羊
goat 除了山羊
还有 “色狼;色鬼” 的意思
所以 old goat 还可以表达:老色鬼
例:
The old man's inappropriate remarks towards the young girl made him seem like an old goat.(那个老人对年轻女孩不恰当的言语让他看起来像个老色鬼。)
“play the goat” 是什么意思?
play the goat = to behave in a silly way
即 “做蠢事”
也可以说 act the goat
类似的短语 play the fox 可以表达:耍滑头
例:
The kids started playing the goat by throwing water balloons at each other in theroom.
(孩子们在教室里互相扔水气球,干起了蠢事。)
separate the sheep from the goats
sheep 羊;绵羊 goat 山羊
separate [ˈseprət , ˈsepəreɪt] 区分;(使) 分开
separate the sheep from the goats 用来表达:
分出优劣;区分好坏(善恶)
英式英语则说成:sort (out) the sheep from the goats
例:
The difficult test questions will separate the sheep from the goats among the students.