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天天閱讀英語島,在這裡感知世界,汲取英文的養分。
 

老闆說"Hold water",可不是要你去裝水

Nathan早上開會又遲到了,他向老闆解釋今天下雨,塞車很嚴重。老闆說:

"I'm afraid that excuse just doesn't hold water with me.”

Hold water,難道是說路上都是水嗎?老闆連下雨路上積水都知道了呢!

其實hold water和水一點關係都沒有,千萬別搞錯,以為老闆體諒,他是覺得你的理由站不住腳。

 

  1. Hold water

(X)裝滿了水、不讓水漏出來

(O)站得住腳/屬實

Hold water字面是「不讓水漏出來」。引申為一個人提出的理由、所說的話是確實的,站得住腳的。老外常說:"That excuse simply doesn't hold water."意思是:那個藉口根本站不住腳。

很好用的片語,多讀幾個例句,幫助大家應用在日常對話:

  • They want to investigate your claim to see if it holds water. 他們要調查看看你的說明是否待合實情。
  • Your story doesn’t hold water. 你講的沒道理。
  • Her alibi just didn't hold water. 她的不在場證據根本站不住腳。

和hold water很接近的片語是hold one’s water,意思完全不一樣,不要搞混了。

Hold one’s water有兩個意思,一個是字面上的意思,water是尿,hold one’s water就是「忍尿」:

  • Can you please try to hold your water a bit longer? There is a rest stop not too far from here.

請在忍一下,休息站快到了。

還有一個意思是「有耐心、保持平靜」:

  • Janet needs to hold her water and just let the committee do its job. Janet應該要心平氣和地讓委員會去安排就好了。

 

  1. Hold the bag

(X)拿著包包

(O)背黑鍋

Hold the bag表面上看來像拿著包包,但bag在這裡意思是「responsibility責任」或「blame過錯、罪責」,hold the bag就是獨自承擔並非屬於自己的全部責任,例如:

  • I won't hold the bag for their mistakes.

     = I won't take the blame for their mistakes. 我不會為他們的過失背黑鍋。

  • My partner had been cooking the books for years, but I was left holding the bag when the business collapsed. 我的合夥人做假帳做了很多年,但公司倒閉時卻是我去承擔罪過。

 

  1. Hold the baby

(X)抱著嬰兒

(O)幹苦差事

Hold the baby字面上是抱小孩,這是很有畫面感的片語,抱小孩可不是很輕鬆的事,所以引申為去做一件很難處理、很累人的事。

His partner ran away and he was left holding the baby. 他的合夥人跑了,留下他獨自面對難題。

You guys should get well prepared for holding the baby. 大家都準備好幹累活吧!

 

  1. Hold fire 

(X)救火

(O)延緩決定、不採取行動、不表態

Hold fire 可以用來指兩國之間交戰的「停火」,但也有「使行動遲緩,不採取行動」的意思。

Let’s hold fire a couple more days. 再推遲幾天吧!

Now, now, hold your fire until I've had a chance to explain. 現在別急著定論,先聽我解釋好嗎。

 

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