miss the boat是什么意思?没赶上船吗?

沪江英语 显示图片

看到miss the boat的第一反应是不是“沒赶上船”,当然没有这么简单,它有更深层的意思:

to lose an opportunity to do something by being slow to act

(因行动慢而)错过机会,错失良机

例句:

So, get yourself prepared, and don't miss the boat.

因此,你得好好准备,可不要坐失良机。

Ian Badenhorst/capetown_guy/unsplash

 

除了miss the boat之外,boat还有哪些容易搞错的俚语?

 

rock the boat

rock除了名词“岩石”以外,还可以做动词使用,表示“摇晃,摇动”的意思,这样的话,字面意思就变成了“摇晃船”。

比如:

Stop rocking the boat!You will turn it over!

别摇晃船了!你会把船翻掉的!

 

但是想想看,一艘小船或独木舟,你要是大力摇晃,那可是会翻船的啊!rock the boat还可以表示:捣乱,惹麻烦,破坏现状。

例句:

She was told to keep her mouth shut and not rock the boat.

有人叫她闭嘴,不要招惹是非。

 

in the same boat

in the same boat的字面意思是:在同一条船上,有点像中文里的“同舟共济”,但是“同舟”就一定“共济”吗?

查一下字典你会发现这个俚语的英文释义是这样的:to be in the same unpleasant situation as other people

中文意思就是:处境相同,面临同样的困境。

例句:

She's always complaining that she doesn't have enough money, but we're all in the same boat.

她总是抱怨自己的钱不够用,可是我们的处境都一样。

 

boat people

boat people是乘船的人吗?再想一想为什么要乘船呢?其实它的意思是:乘船逃往他国的难民。

例句:

Turning boat people away would be an inhumane action.

不准难民入境将是一种不人道的行为。

 

(来源:沪江英语  编辑:yaning)