有時(shí)候盡管你認(rèn)識(shí)一個(gè)短語(yǔ)的每一個(gè)詞，但你未必知道這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的真正含義。下面這些美國(guó)短語(yǔ)的實(shí)際意思都和字面意思相差甚遠(yuǎn)，讓外國(guó)人一頭霧水。

讓外國(guó)人摸不著頭腦的12個(gè)美國(guó)短語(yǔ)（上）

Behind the eight ball 處于困境中

When Americans say they're "behind the eight ball," it means they're in a difficult position.
如果美國(guó)人說(shuō)他們behind the eight ball，意思是他們處境困難。

Dating to the 1930s, this Americanism refers to the game of pool. A player positioned behind the eight ball cannot hit it.
這個(gè)短語(yǔ)要追溯到20世紀(jì)30年代，在當(dāng)時(shí)的美國(guó)英語(yǔ)中這是一個(gè)臺(tái)球術(shù)語(yǔ)。如果你的球在8號(hào)球后面，那選手就很難出擊。（因?yàn)?號(hào)球提前落袋就算輸） 

The cat's out of the bag 秘密泄露

If "the cat's out of the bag," it means you've revealed a secret.
如果the cat's out of the bag（貓從袋子里出來(lái)了），意思是你泄露了秘密。

This idiom first appeared with its current meaning in a London book review from 1760. Upset about a spoiler alert, the reviewer wrote, "We could have wished that the author had not let the cat out of the bag."
這個(gè)習(xí)語(yǔ)首次以這個(gè)含義出現(xiàn)是在1760年的一篇倫敦書(shū)評(píng)中。當(dāng)時(shí)因?yàn)閯⊥付械绞脑u(píng)論家寫(xiě)道：“我們多希望作者沒(méi)有劇透?！?/p>

Table an item 擱置議題

When Americans "table an item," they set it aside for consideration later.
當(dāng)美國(guó)人table an item時(shí)，他們會(huì)將其擱置在一旁，以后再考慮。

In British and Commonwealth English, this phrase has the opposite meaning. If you table something (i.e. a proposal) in countries such as the UK and Ireland, you're considering a decision rather than postponing it.
在英國(guó)和英聯(lián)邦國(guó)家的英語(yǔ)中，這個(gè)短語(yǔ)的意思則相反。如果你在英國(guó)和愛(ài)爾蘭等國(guó)家table一個(gè)議案，意思不是推遲，而是商討出一個(gè)決議。

In the US, however, when a topic is "tabled," that typically means that it's postponed, or it will sit there on the metaphorical table until it can be discussed at a later date. To make things even more confusing, the phrase "on the table" in America could mean that something is up for discussion.
然而，在美國(guó)，如果一個(gè)議題被tabled，通常指這個(gè)議題被延后或擱置，以后再討論。更讓人困惑的是，on the table這個(gè)短語(yǔ)在美國(guó)的意思是“提到議程上”。

Jump on the bandwagon 隨大流

When you "jump on the bandwagon," you're joining a popular activity or supporting a popular cause.
當(dāng)你jump on the bandwagon時(shí)，你要參加一個(gè)流行的活動(dòng)或支持一個(gè)熱門(mén)事業(yè)。

In the 19th century, American showman and circus owner PT Barnum coined the term "bandwagon," which referred simply to the wagon that carried the circus band.
19世紀(jì)，美國(guó)演出團(tuán)和馬戲團(tuán)老板P·T·巴納姆造了bandwagon這個(gè)詞，指的是馬戲團(tuán)乘坐的四輪馬車(chē)。

Noting that parades were an effective way to attract attention, politicians took a page from the circus workers' book and began incorporating bandwagons into their campaign strategies.
發(fā)現(xiàn)游行是吸引注意力的有效方式后，政客們借鑒馬戲團(tuán)的做法，開(kāi)始把花車(chē)納入競(jìng)選策略中。

take a page from: 效仿，借鑒

But it was Teddy Roosevelt who helped cement the figurative phrase in the American lexicon, when, in 1899, he referenced political bandwagons in a letter he wrote.
不過(guò)，確立這個(gè)短語(yǔ)在美國(guó)詞匯中比喻用法的是西奧多·羅斯福。1899年，他在一封信中提到了政治花車(chē)。

Nosebleed section 最差的座位

If you're sitting in the "nosebleed section," you're seated in the highest (and cheapest) seats of an arena or performance space.
如果你坐在nosebleed section（流鼻血的區(qū)域），你坐在場(chǎng)館或劇院中最高也是最便宜的座位上。

This phrase refers to the fact that high altitudes can cause nosebleeds. In the UK, the highest seats at a theater are known as "the gods."
這一短語(yǔ)影射的事實(shí)是高緯度會(huì)讓人流鼻血。在英國(guó)，劇院中最高處的座位被稱(chēng)作“神座”。

Throw someone under the bus 出賣(mài)

If someone "throws you under the bus," they're betraying you for their own advancement.
如果某人throws you under the bus（把你從公交車(chē)扔下去），意思是他們?yōu)榱俗约旱臅x升而出賣(mài)你。

This idiom might have evolved from a few British expressions from the 1970s, such as "fall under a bus" or "go under a bus."
這個(gè)習(xí)語(yǔ)可能源自20世紀(jì)70年代的幾個(gè)英式表達(dá)，比如fall under a bus或go under a bus（掉到公交車(chē)下）。

英文來(lái)源：內(nèi)幕網(wǎng)

翻譯&編輯：丹妮