源自运动和游戏的10个英语习语

很多古老的运动和游戏如板球、拳击和纸牌给英语引入了丰富的习语，今天咱们就介绍一些来源于体育运动和娱乐游戏的习语。

1. To keep your cards close to your chest – don't reveal your plans
将牌藏在胸前 - 不泄露自己的计划，守口如瓶

例句：

I kept my cards close to my chest during the negotiation. (Card games)
在谈判的过程中，我一直对于自己的底牌守口如瓶。（纸牌游戏）

2. Poker-faced – expressionless (comes from the game of poker where you must not let your face reveal whether you have a good or bad card)
扑克脸 - 面无表情的（来源于扑克游戏，玩扑克时不能让表情泄露自己是牌好还是牌坏）

例句：

The clients sat poker-faced all through my sales pitch. It was so unnerving. (Poker)
在我整个宣传推销过程中客户始终面无表情地静坐，这让人感到很气馁。（扑克游戏）

3. Knock sb for six – to shock or upset someone very much, or to make someone very ill
一击得最高分(6分) - 使某人大吃一惊，给某人以沉重打击或者让某人感到十分难受

例句：

Jenny has just announced that she's leaving which has knocked me for six. I really enjoyed working with her. (Ball games)
珍妮刚刚宣布了她要离开的事，这让我感到十分震惊。我真的很喜欢和她共事。（球类运动）

4. Play one's trump card – use the advantage especially when others do not know about it
打出王牌 - 利用优势，尤其是别人不知道的优势

例句：

The CEO played his trump card by promising a dividend payout at the shareholders' meeting. (Card game)
首席执行官在股东大会上甩出杀手锏：承诺分红派息。（纸牌游戏）

5. A whole new ball game – a completely different situation
一个全新的球局 - 一个完全不同的局面

例句：

This is a whole new ball game if we're talking about expanding the business. (Ball games)
如果我们谈论的是扩大业务规模，那就完全是另一码事了。（球类运动）

6. To play hard ball – to be so determined to get what you want that you will use unfair methods to get it.
打硬式棒球 - 决心要得到自己想要得到的以至于要采取一些不正当的手段来达到目的

例句：

The people here like to play hard ball which can be very challenging. (Ball games)
这里的人喜欢采取强硬手段，可能会极具挑战性。（球类运动）

7. Don't pull any punches – speak in an honest and direct way without being tactful
不打虚拳 - 坦诚直言，毫不保留

例句：

The CEO didn't pull any punch when he told the board that the company was in trouble. (Boxing)
CEO在告知董事会成员公司处于麻烦之中时并没有打太极，而是坦诚直言。（拳击运动）

8. Below the belt – an unfair attack (in boxing that is not allowed)
腰带下方 - 不正当的攻击（在拳击比赛中这是不允许的）

例句：

There was no need to mention my personal problems to the press. That was below the belt. (Boxing)
我没必要跟媒体谈论我的私人问题。这是不合理的。（拳击运动）

9. Throw in the towel – giving up and admitting defeat
扔毛巾 - 认输，承认失败

例句：

I think we need to accept things as they are and throw in the towel before we lose any more money. (Boxing)
我认为我们应该接受事实，在我们输掉更多钱之前认输。（拳击运动）

10. Hold all the cards – to be in a strong position
持有所有的牌 - 掌控整体局势，占上风

例句：

Management found that the trade union held all the cards during the pay talks. (Card games)
管理层发现工会在整个薪资讨论过程中一直占上风。（纸牌游戏）

（来源：沪江英语、Englsih with a twist 编辑：刘明）