今天我们要学几个以fight为关键词的习惯用语。大家都熟悉fight个词,它的意思是斗争、搏斗或者奋斗。

1. fight to the bitter end 历尽艰辛、苦斗到最后关头

Bitter end有一种特殊的意义。船员把船尾系锚绳的柱子叫bitt,系在这柱子上的锚绳的尽头称为bitter end。所以to the bitter end就是到了尽头,再没有多余的绳索了。

例句-1:Mrs Brown fought to the bitter end to keep her house, the only one left after the developers tore down all the others. But after five years she gave up and took the money。

布朗太太为了自己的房子可真有斗争到底的精神,开发商把周围所有的房子都拆光了,她还不动摇。但是她苦熬了五年之后,不得不改变初衷,接受拆迁费,搬家了。

其实这个习惯用语正恰如其分地描绘出二次大战期间许多美国人为阻止美国参战而作的那种努力。我们再看个例子。

例句-2:A lot of Americans fought to the bitter end to keep the country from getting into World War Two. But after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, America had no choice but to go to war。

许多美国人为了阻止本国卷入二次大战坚持不懈地斗争到最后关头。但是在日本袭击珍珠港之后,美国就再也没有选择余地,而只能走上战场。

2. knock-down drag-out fight 殊死搏斗;激烈的论战

Knock-down意思是击倒,而drag-out可以解释为拖出来。听了这个习惯用语你很可能会联想到美国西部电影里大打出手的场面。在十九世纪二十年代的美国西部这种竖着进来、横着出去的殊死搏斗确实是常有的事儿。下面这个例子说的就是回顾当年西部牛仔生活的电影。

例句-3:Every cowboy movie I've seen has had a knock-down drag-out fight. It's usually in a bar with everybody jumping in, knocking each other down and breaking up the furniture。

我看过的每一部牛仔片总有一场殊死搏斗。这通常发生在酒吧。一夥人冲进来挥拳斗殴、击倒对方,还把家俱砸个稀巴烂。

但是这个习惯用语并不只用在诉诸武力的格斗。它也可以用来指争辩激烈的舌战。例如在下面这段话里。它说的是总统的预算规划在国会引起的反应。

例句-4:The battle to pass the President's budget plan through Congress turned out to be a real knock-down drag-out fight, with loud arguments, hot tempers and a very close final vote。

原来总统的预算规划在国会通过的时候引起了激烈万分的论战。参与者情绪激愤地大声争辩,表决的票数也十分接近。

3. can't fight one's way out of a paper bag 软弱无力

Paper bag是纸做的口袋,是一撕就破的东西。如果谁连个纸袋也无法挣脱的话,那他简直就像小虫子一般软弱无力 了。当然can't fight one's way out of a paper bag这个习惯用语是用作比喻的。

我们来看个例子,说的是Larry聘用律师控告他的上司种族歧视。

例句-5:Larry has almost no chance to win his case, I'm afraid. The company lawyer is shrewd and very tough. And the young lawyer Larry hired looks like he can't fight his way out of a paper bag。

恐怕Larry几乎没有机会打赢他的官司。公司的律师非常精明强干,而Larry聘用的年轻律师却显得如此软弱无力。

我们再来看个例子。它说的是一场拳击赛。一般人都认为这是一场令人永世难忘的比赛,但是说话的人却看法不同。我们来听听他的意见。

例句-6:They said this match will be the fight to remember for a long time. I don't think so! Smith is quick on his feet but he can't punch hard. In fact I don't think he can fight his way out of a paper bag!

别人声称这是一场令人难忘的比赛,我却觉得没什么了不起。Smith固然腿脚灵活,但是他出拳不重。我觉得他简直是软弱无力。