歡迎來到英語每日一詞,這裡是美國習慣用語版塊兒。
每天打卡兩到三個地道用語。
一日一錢,十日十錢。繩鋸木斷,水滴石穿
下面介紹的一個俗語是:to go through hell or high water.
go through, 動詞短語,意思是「經歷」;hell or high water, 意思是任何可能出現的困難(Collins: whatever difficulties may arise. high water指漲潮時水位最高的時候)
To go through hell or high water,使人們腦海裡出現某一個在必要的時候能夠赴湯蹈火的人的形象。我們來舉個例子吧:
例句-3: "I love my friend John like a brother -- I know he'd go through hell or high water for me."
這個人說:"我對約翰就像對待自己的兄弟一樣,我知道他會為我赴湯蹈火的。"這句話的意思也就是,約翰會盡一切可能來幫助他的。
下面我們再來舉一個例子。這是一個人在說某一個家庭:
例句-4: "That's a very close family -- whatever happens to one of them, sickness, money trouble, anything, the rest of them come to help. They'd go through hell and high water for each other."
他說:"這家人之間的關係非常密切,不管任何人發生什麼事,無論是生病也好,缺錢花也好,或發生其他任何問題,每個人都會來幫忙的。不管家裡誰有了困難,大家都會為他赴湯蹈火。"
詞典裡收錄更多的是come hell or high water, 意思是下決心去做某件事,克服任何困難。If you say that you will do something come hell or high water, you are emphasizing that you're determined to do it, in spite of the difficulties involved. (有種自己給自己打氣「來吧,讓狂風暴雨來得更猛烈些吧」的壯烈。)
比如:
I『ll get you to the airport by noon, come hell or high water!(發誓狀)
I've always managed to get into work come hell or high water.(冷靜陳述狀)