From pillar to post 四处碰壁
在一些词汇书中,from pillar to post常被译作东奔西跑,严格上来说,这种解释并不确切。From pillar to post指为某事四处奔波,这种奔波往往得不到回报,被认为是徒劳无功的行为。
从词源上看下面两种说法,也许您会得到某种启示:四处碰壁或走投无路更能诠释from pillar to post的内涵。
一种观点认为,from pillar to post源于美国的real tennis[室内网球,又称纯网球,现几乎被law tennis(草地网球)所取代]。室内网球馆的四周林立着墙柱子,网球一旦撞到这些柱子上就会四处弹跳,网球手为捡球自然会在柱子间奔来跑去,由此,from pillar to post常用来比喻一个人为寻找某物四处奔波,但不得其要。
另一种观点认为:短语中的pillar为讹误,实质上指的是pillory(颈手枷);post则是指whipping post(绑缚受鞭打犯人的柱子)。早在15世纪,罪犯要被绑在柱子上、戴上颈手枷游街示众,由此,from pillar to post常用来比喻犯人走投无路时的境状。
看下面一个例句:She was driven from pillar to post. Each person she spoke to was more unhelpful than the last. (求人帮忙她四处碰壁,有望伸手相助者越来越少。)
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