【英语早间课堂】话说地道美语 Lesson 23(2)之七(在线收听

第九、我们可以说dress sb down. In English it means "to criticize or be angry with sb because they have done sth wrong". 中文意思是训斥,责骂。我们通过下面的例句来熟悉这个动词短语的意思。
 
下面的这个例句是关于人们对英国前首相撒切尔夫人的评论——For many Britons accustomed to watching Thatcher browbeat enemies and dress down aides, it seemed like only a matter of time before her support for Major would cool. 对很多看惯撒切尔向她的政敌怒目而视或斥责僚属的英国人来说,她对梅杰的支持迟早都会冷却。
 
注解1:单词 accustomed [əˈkʌstəmd] 习惯了的; 适应了的 Thatcher ['θætʃə] 撒切尔(前英国首相) (thatcher 盖屋匠) browbeat ['braubi:t] 吓唬,威逼 aide [eid] 助手, 副官, 侍从武官 cool 冷却
 
注解2:短语be accustomed to sth ( doing sth )是“习惯于某事”“习惯于做某事”的意思。例如:Conditions here are not what she's accustomed to. 这里的条件不是她所习惯享受的。My eyes slowly grew accustomed to the gloom. 我的眼睛对黑暗慢慢适应了。(grow accustomed和be accustomed比较)
 
注解3:watch sb do sth这个动词短语结构,意思是观看某人做某事,看某人做某事。宾语sb后面的补足语是用动词原形,也有watch sb doing sth这个动词短语结构,它们之间的区别就在于看对方在做这件事,是不是当时对方的动作正在发生。我们来看2个例子来辨析:I watched her go out of the room just now. 我看见她刚才出去了。(这句话中的我看这个动作,看到的是她出去,出去的这个动作整个过程,话句话说就是强调事实。)The girl is watching the the chief stealing something. 那个女孩在看见小偷正在偷东西。(这句话中女孩观看的时候,看的时候小偷偷东西这个动作正在发生,这里强调动作。)
 
注解3:短语a matter of time是指(某事肯定发生只是)时间问题,是迟早的事情。例如:It was only a matter of time. 一切不过只是时间早晚的问题。Thoughts of you dance through my mind. Knowing, it is just a matter of time. 我知道对你的思念挥之不去。知道,这只是个时间问题。
 
It is (only ) a matter of time before+从句可以视为一个句型,意思是某事情(或某种情况)是迟早会发生的事情。 例如:It is only a matter of time before some companies go under. 部分公司破产也只是时间的问题。(备注: go under = go broke , run outof bank, go bankrupt 破产 )
 
注解4:短语support for sb/sth是“对......支持”“支撑.......”的意思。例如:They are trying to win support for their proposals.他们在努力争取人们支持他们的建议。Support for his cabinet has risen sharply in the past week. 在过去一周里,他的内阁的支持率已急剧上升。(备注:in the past week 在过去的一周)
 
注解5:该句话的状语就是一个在介词短语For many Britons,后面的accustomed to watching Thatcher browbeat enemies and dress down aides是过去分词短语做后置定语,这个过去分词中又含有一个介词短语to watching Thatcher browbeat enemies and dress down aides,在这个介词短语中含有动词+宾语+宾语的补足语这样的结构,而且宾语的补足语又是由动词原形来充当,宾语补足语又是由2个并且的动宾结构构成。句子的主要部分是it seemed like only a matter of time before her support for Major would cool. 这是一个含有时间状语从句的复合句。Seem在主句中是做系动词,like是介词,seem like意思是看上去像......,好像。
 
Dress down除了有“严厉斥责”的意思,还有“穿着随意”的意思。例如:You can't dress down in diplomatic occasions. 在外交场合你不能穿着随便。Many companies have an official dress down day once a month or so, on which employees may wear blue jeans, running shoes, and T-shirts to the office - in other words,wear their weekend clothes to work. 许多公司大约一个月就有一次法定的“便装日”,在这一天,雇员们可以穿着蓝牛仔裤、球鞋和T恤衫去办公室——也就是说,穿着度周末时的衣服去上班。(备注:or so 大约 in other words 换句话说,用别的话说)
 
那么dress down的反义词很容易联想就是dress up,它的意思是盛装打扮,穿着严谨。例如:Her maid helped her to dress up for the party. 他的女仆帮助他穿上参加晚会的礼服。
 
转自可可英语
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