迷你對話學地道口語第309期:一鳴驚人
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迷你對話
A: Tom set the whole country by the ears with his discovery.
約翰的發明震驚了全國。
B: He is really terrific!
他真行。
A: He was very clever when he was a boy.
他小的時候就非常聰明。
對話精講
第一、 習慣用語
set by ears
第二、 解詞釋義
此語源於一個鬥狗的故事。有兩個好事之徒以狗打架賭博,就分別揪住狗的耳朵讓它們相鬥。轉義為“使人爭吵,使人不和”,還可以表示“因新發現而引起轟動或使人震驚”之意。
第三、 支援範例
釋義1:使人爭吵,使人不和
ng his short stay, Philip set us all by the ears.
菲利普在這時短期逗留期間,搬弄是非,搞得大家不得安寧。
got on well enough together until the question of promotion set them all by the ears.
他們原來一直相處得很好,後來提職一事引起了他們之間的不和。
e always seems to set the family by the ears.
叔叔好像總是使一家人不和。
set the whole neighborhood by the ears.
她使四鄰不和。
釋義2:使人震驚,一鳴驚人
seemed a very lively young man, certain of his own abilities and eager to set people by the ears.
看來他是個非常活躍的青年,對自己的能力十分自信,且急於一鳴驚人。
set the whole city the ears with beating the champion.
他擊敗了冠軍而一鳴驚人。