英语习语:have your work cut out

习语可以是一个词或短语,要理解习语的意思不能脱离其文化背景。习语一词的含义甚广,其蕴含的意义往往不能从词或词组的字面意思推测而得。习语在所有语言中都很常见。英语习语是日常英语的重要组成部分。在英语的书面语和口语中,存在海量的习语。

儒琴今日习语(Idiom of the Day)

have your work cut out

英文解释

to be faced with a lengthy or difficult task;to have something very difficult to do;to have difficulty doing something;

中文解释

work cut out 习语意思是:面临艰巨的任务;面临一项漫长或困难的任务。work cut out 习语词组经常扩展为:have your work cut out for you。

该习语的形成与缝纫行业有关系,最初的意思是 be faced with a large amount of work (面临大量的工作)。乍听之下,这个短语似乎很难理解。“cut out”通常的意思是“移除”。所以,为什么 work cut out 表示 大量 Work (工作)的意思,按字面意思应该是work (工作)容易才对呀?

给出的解释是,这个习语形成的时候,在早期的缝纫行业,这种工作是指把别人给你事先剪好的布料缝在一起 work cut out for you。

原文举例

Lionel Messi is just two matches away from World Cup glory but his Argentina side must first find a way past Croatia at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday. The European side has, once again, upset the odds to reach yet another World Cup semifinal after beating tournament favorite Brazil in the previous round and, make no mistake, Argentina will have its work cut out if its to reach the final. (CNN)

莱昂内尔·梅西距离世界杯冠军只有两场比赛了,但他的阿根廷队必须在周二的卢塞尔体育场找到击败克罗地亚的方法。克罗地亚这支欧洲球队在上一轮击败了最受欢迎的巴西队后,克服困难有可能再一次闯入世界杯半决赛。毫无疑问,如果阿根廷要进入决赛,他们将面临艰巨的任务。

Biden has his work cut out for him. Under unprecedented circumstances, and amid the worst pandemic in a century, Americans voted in record numbers and delivered a clear result: On Jan. 20, 2021, Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States. (latimes.com)

拜登还有很多工作要做。在前所未有的情况下,在一个世纪以来最严重的大流行期间,美国人以创纪录的人数投票,并给出了一个明确的结果:2021年1月20日,乔·拜登将成为美国第46任总统。

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