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细说英语粗话:31. Hell

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2019年06月04日

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31. Hell

burn in hell 咒人下地狱

catch hell for 为某事挨骂,被痛打

hell 地狱,苦难的处境;糟了!

hellhole 苦难的处境

hellacious 极好的;特坏的;好大威力的

hell on… 对……有害

hell,no (yes) 绝不,死不;绝对要,一定是

hellish 如地狱般的,令人憎恶讨厌的,可怕的

hell of a(helluva) 非常讨厌的;非常出色的,格外著名的

from hell 艰难的;不可轻视的,引人注目的,有实力的;格外的,异常(特指负面),坏的,特差的;令人憎恶的;好的,惹人喜欢的

all hell broke loose 天下大乱

all over hell(’s half acre) 到处

a snowball’s chance in hell 不可能的事,一点机会都没有

charge hell with a bucket of water 采取极端的办法

come hell or high water 无论有多大的困难、障碍或麻烦

for the hell of it 只为了瞎闹,纯粹为了闹着玩

full of hell 放纵地玩,无限制地嬉戏

give someone hell 臭骂一顿,痛打一顿

go to hell 该死,去你的;每况愈下

go through hell(and back) 经历极大的痛苦

hell and gone 离得远远地

hell-bent(on,upon,for,to) 毅然,断然,不顾一切

hell-bent for leather 疾速地

hell hath no fury like a woman scorned 被侮辱的女人报复心重

hell on wheels 难以应付的,难以控制的;惊人的,有闯劲的,不怕阻碍的,不罢休的

hell to pay 必然有可怕的或麻烦的后果

hell’s bells 恼人,气人;表示疑心;卤莽地,轻率地,急躁地;大威力地,高速地

hope to hell 迫切希望

I’ll see you in hell first 誓死绝不妥协

in hell他妈的 (强化语气)

no way in hell 绝对不可能

like a bat out of hell 飞快地,火速地

like hell… 罔顾死活地,猛烈地,拚命地;根本没,当然不,绝未

feel like hell 极感内疚,痛心;浑身不舒服(尤指喝酒过多后)

look like hell 不三不四,不成体统,邋遢,不像样

no(t)(a)chance in hell 根本不可能

oh,hell! 糟了!

raise hell 大吵大闹

rot in hell 咒人下地狱

 sure as hell 必定,一定,绝对

 the hell(with)… 算了,该死,他妈的

the hell with that noise 见你的大头鬼!

the hell of it is… 最令人困恼的是,最令人惊讶的或出其不意的是……

till hell freezes over 直到永远

to hell 没落,堕落,荒废,每况愈下

to hell with (it, someone) 算了,该死,他妈的

what(how,when,where,who,why) the hell 到底什么 (到底怎么,到底何时,到底哪儿,到底是谁,到底为何)是……,究竟什么 (究竟怎样,究竟何时,究竟哪儿,究竟是谁,究竟为何)是……

 what the hell! 随便吧!(出于无奈);真想不到!

Hell一字由来已久,使用极为广泛,其合成语与短语词汇也极为丰富。Hell一字字典中仅有名词的功能,但是它的合成语与短语却表现了各种特性,如名词、动词、形容词、副词、惊叹词等。Hell本身、其合成语及短语多在表达“烦躁”、“生气”、“不耐烦”以及加强句子的语气,用来骂人的无几,多为咒事。

我们先就名词来说:Hell 在句中仍保持名词本质的,如War is hell.(战争可怕。)They raised hell.(他们大吵大闹。)它的合成语是名词的,如hell-raiser (狂徒)。

再就Hell 的形容词功能来说,它的合成语hellacious(极好的),hellish (令人厌恶的),hell-bent (断然的);其所组成的形容词短语就更多了,如from hell (艰难的),no chance in hell (根本不可能的),hell on…(对……有害的)。

再谈它的合成语或短语当副词用的可能就太多了,如 to hell (迫切地),through hell (经历大磨练地),like hell (拼命地),the hell(绝不;究竟)。 Hell短语当动词的,如catch hell for (为某事受罚),The typhoon played hell with our island.(台风蹂躏本岛)。最后 hell用当惊叹词方面,如What the hell!(随便吧!)Oh,hell!(糟了!)等,以下例句很多,将分类说明。因 hell 的有关字汇已被社会大众及媒体广泛使用,故不能不知,但因其意义仍不免粗俗,仕人淑女仍劝避讳。

Hell及其合成语——用以骂人,咒事

1. burn (rot) in hell 咒人下十八层地狱

A. Fernandina Beach, Fla1.—A handful of abortion opponents demonstrated yesterday at the funeral of a doctor gunned down outside a women’s clinic.“May2 he rot in hell,” one protester said.

(Newsday,8/4/94)

佛州佛南丁纳海滩市讯——昨日一小撮反堕胎分子在一位医生葬礼前示威。该医生在一家妇女卫生所外饮弹毙命。一抗议分子说:“但愿他下十八层地狱。”

注:

1.Fla.即Florida(佛罗里达州)的简写。

2. May… 但愿……祈求好事或咒人坏事时用的情态助动词,放于句首。

A. He1 recalls many a late-night conversation2 with high school3 friends on the question of what price they would pay for their determination to question authority…. “we had this warning4 that to question authority meant to burn in hell,” Hayden says. “Was free speech really worth that?”

(L.A.Times,Home Ed.,2/23/97)

他回忆与高中同学多次深刻讨论为对抗权力愿付出何等代价的问题……海登说:“有个训示,说是对权威质疑要下十八层地狱,言论自由该得如此下场吗?”

注:

1. He,Hayden 海登,一度是女明星简·芳达(Jane Fonda)之夫,俩人于60年代公开示威抗议美国参与越战。

2. many后随名词是复数,many a 后随名词是单数,但意义相同。

3. recalls…high school 指1950年代海登念天主教会高中时。

4. this warning 指教师的训示,谓不得反抗权威。

2. catch hell 挨骂,被痛打

A. I always catch hell for poor grades.

我每次考不好,总是挨骂挨揍。

B. My parents aren’t like that.

我爸妈不会这样。

A. She caught hell because she was late.

她迟到挨骂。

3. give someone hell 臭骂一顿,痛打一顿; 打败,征服

A. Confession time:at the age of 13, l was avidly watching a crap game in the stairwell of Joan of Arc Junior High in Manhattan when a monitor1 caught us. Penalty:no diploma or handshake from the principal at graduation. Ma gave me hell.

(N.Y.Times,6/8/98)

轮到我认错:十三岁我念曼哈顿圣女贞德初中时,在楼梯口旁观掷骰子赌局时就被廊监抓到。处罚是:毕业典礼上校长不给证书,也没跟我握手。妈臭骂了我一顿。

注:

1. monitor 轮派在学校走廊维持秩序的学生。

A. Few American politicians can hide from scandals.

美国政客能够躲过丑闻者很少。

B. The press inevitably exposes them and gives them hell.

新闻界必定使之曝光,并炮轰之。

A. In the first two games,the Reds sure gave’em hell.

头两场比赛红队彻底征服客队。

B. But the Blacks came back to win the rest-of-five series.

可是黑队后来居上,余三场均报捷。

4. go to hell 该死,去你的!

A. The boss isn’t even going to talk about giving us any raises this year.

今年加不加薪,老板连提都不愿意提。

B. Well,he can go to hell then,for all I care.

哼!他去死我也不管。

A. The Cuyahoga River1 once caught fire and burned.

开雅侯加河曾起火燃烧过。

B. Go to hell.You don’t expect me to believe that,do you?

去你的!你以为我会相信吗?

注:

1. Cuyahoga River 经美国俄亥俄州克里夫兰市流入伊利湖。

5. the hell with it, to hell with it, to hell with… 算了,去你 (他)的!

A. You have a 10 o’clock meeting with your supplier in Kaohsiung.

您十点钟在高雄跟供应商有约。

B. The hell with it.I won’t be able to make my flight anyway.

算了,反正,我赶不上那班飞机了.

A. …as the political posturing1 over the Yankees2 escalates,I can imagine Steinbrenner3 saying to hell with it,taking his ball4 and going to his Tampa5 base for good6.

(N.Y.Post,5/12/98)

……当政客对洋基队越争越烈时,我看司丹布伦纳就会说一声算了,带球掉头回他家乡滩巴市基地,永不回来。

注:

1. political posturing 政治性的装模作样。指纽约市等地方政客为替 Yankees队盖新球场而争论不休。

2. Yankees 纽约洋基职业棒球队。

3. Steinbrenner 洋基队大东主司丹布伦纳。

4. taking his ball 喻连根拔起带球队离开纽约。

5. Tampa 位于迈阿密西北约三百公里,是司氏老家。

6. for good 永远地,是副词短语。

A. I’ve got mine. To hell with you!

我的已经拿到了,去见你的大头鬼吧!

B. So what?

有什么了不起?

A. It took me three years to write an epic romance novel,but I can’t get publishers to take notice!

我耗时三年,撰写长篇爱情浪漫小说,却得不到出版商的青睐。

B. Those are passé1. What they want now are fast-paced thrillzers. You’d better start all over again!

那种已过时了,现在他们要的是快节奏的煽情惊险之作。你还是从头来过吧!

A. The hell with that noise! There’s no way I’d do that.

我才不信这个邪!不会从头再来的!

注:

1. passé 原为法文,喻“老式的”,“过时的”。

Hell 当名词——地狱、苦难处境

1. hell 地狱

A. Pay a man enough and he’ll walk barefoot into hell.

(Gargoyles(1994)影片中的对白)

有钱能使鬼推磨(钱拿够了的人,什么事都肯做)。

A. Do bad people go to hell?

坏人下不下地狱?

B. Tough question.

这个问题不好回答。

A. “He told me1 I’m going to hell today,last semester and the semester before,” he sald. “He said that I have long hair therefore,I’m a faggott [sic]2 and I’m going to hell.”

(德大阿灵顿分校The Shorthorn校刊,2/16/98)

他说:“他上上个学期曾说,上个学期也说,今天又说,说我今天要下地狱”,“他说因为我留长头发,所以我有断袖之癖,因此,我将会下地狱。”

注:

1. me 该校学生与记者访谈时说有一位传教师对他下咒语之事。

2. faggott 男同性恋者的贬称,正式拼法为faggot;[sic]指原文如此,用在所说明文字之后。

A. For this officer, as for countless other homosexuals in the military,“Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell1” is hell.

(N.Y Times Magazine,6/28/98,cover)

对这位军官和军中无数其他同性恋者来说,“不闻不问”一样是件苦事。

注:

1. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell 指克林顿总统提出对军中同性恋者的政策。美国军队历来排斥同性恋者的规定被认为违反美国宪法第一修正案后,三军为之哗然,克林顿终提出此一权宜措施。

2. hellhhole 苦难之境域,人间地狱

A. Some would describe Iwo Jima1 as a hellhole during the Second World War.

有人将二次大战期间的硫磺岛喻为人间地狱。

B. That’s what my grandfather said. He fought there.

我祖父就这么说。他在那里打过仗。

注:

1. Iwo Jima 硫磺岛,为西太平洋一岛屿,二战期间美日军队在此岛血战,美军阵亡达七千余人。

3. go through hell(go through hell and back) 经历极大的苦难

A. Every man…every man has to go through hell to teach paradise.

(Cape Fear(1991)影片中的对白)

每个人……每一个人想进天堂都必须经历极大的苦难。

A. Marines go through hell here in basic training.

海军陆战队在此基地受训吃尽苦头。

B. They come out1 better soldiers for it.

因此得以生铁炼成钢。

注:

1. come out (vi+adv.) 成为,变成,后跟主语补足语(subjective com-plement),可以是名词或形容词,有时还因需要用地点副词或状态副词作补语。

A. Everybody here1 wants the same thing,peace of mind. But to get it,you have to go through hell and back2. And,of course,the line3.

(N.Y.Times,4/7/98)

这里每个人所要求的都一样,安心。不过为了这个,却要受苦受难,当然啰,也要大排长龙。

注:

1. here 指纽约市联邦移民局大门外。

2. go through… 忍受,走过。喻“任风吹、雨打、日晒”等排队之受苦状及内心焦虑。

3. the line 移民局门前大排长龙,等待解决移民问题的外邦人群。

4. hell to pay 后果堪虞

A. If you don’t finish the report,and the boss sees you skating1, you’ll have hell to pay.

你报告不做好,老板看到你偷懒的话,你的麻烦可就大啰!

B. I’m not sweating it,2 so why should you?

你何必紧张?我都不怕!

注:

1. skating 借“溜冰”喻“偷懒”。skating是现在分词,作宾语you的补语,强调动作正进行中。

2. sweating 紧张时会“出汗”。又Don’t sweat it (别紧张,别担心),与Don’t worry about it等同义。

A. Suarez1:Juan2,our last caller3 talked about consequences. And a lot of the kids involved in programs like yours seem to have committed the acts they’ve committed without very much of a thought that there were consequences,that there were people on the other side of the weapon,on the other side of the transaction who—you know4, whose lives have been altered5 by this encounter,and that there was hell to pay for what they did.

(National Public Radio节目transcript,4/15/98)

斯瓦瑞兹:胡安兄,刚才打电话来的人谈因果报应。参加像你这种再教育计划的孩子犯罪时,很多对后果不考虑,也不想想凶器瞄准的及罪行的受害者也是人,这个、这个——他们的人生会因为这次的遭遇而改变,而且做了坏事将受到严刑峻罚。

注:

1. Ray Suarez 该电台预防少年犯罪节目的主持人。

2. Juan Sanchez 德州美西南重点再教育计划Southwest Key创始人。 Juan西语,音“胡安”,男士名。

3. caller 节目间来电(call in)的听众。

4. you know 说话时的插句,与中文“这个……这个”同义。

5. lives have been altered 喻因挨枪挨打而成残废或死亡。

5. to hell 没落,荒废,破坏,破碎,完蛋

A. Your deck1 is going to hell,Hank.

汉克,你的凉台每况愈下。

B. I know. One of these days I’ll get around to2 fixing it up3.

知道了,改天会抽空把它修一修。

注:

1. deck 美国独家住宅后院每有落地木造凉台,供乘凉及烤肉用,经风吹雨打,日久损坏。

2. get around to 找时间去……,到时候会……,抽空去……“to”是介词,后跟名词类词汇,包括动名词。I’ll get around to it tomorrow.(我明天来处理它)

3. fixing it up (vt.+adv.) 修好……是及物动词短语,此处放介词后是动名词。

A. My brakes are shot to hell.

我汽车的煞车器全损坏了。

B. Get them replaced,A.S.A.P.1

越快换新越好。

注:

1. A.S.A.P. as soon as possible的缩写,是副词短语。

A. That used car he bought sure went to hell in a hurry1.

他买的那辆二手车很快就坏掉了。

B. So,did he buy a new car,then?

那么,他换了一辆新车没有?

注:

1. in a hurry 很快地、迅速地、匆忙地,否定时用in no hurry,均是成语,可当副词,也可当形容词,如I am in no hurry to buy a new car.(不急于买新车。)

A. City services went to hell during his administration.

他当市长任内公共事务日趋没落。

6. hell on… 不利于……,对……有妨害

A. Streets in Manhattan are the pits1.

曼哈顿的道路差劲。

B. I’ll say.All those pot holes are hell on shocks2.

说的是。那么多坑洞,对避震器有莫大的折损。

注:

1. the pits(复数)原意“坑坑洞洞”,现已成习用语,指“糟透了(the worst)”或“一塌糊涂”。

2. shocks是shock absorbers的简称,指汽车的避震器。

A. Toby loves attending rock concerts. How about you?

杜彼喜欢去听摇滚乐,你呢?

B. Not me. The loud music is hell on the ears.

我可不,那高分贝的音乐声响震耳欲聋。

Hell 当惊叹词——独立使用

1. hell 妈的,这个……,谁知道

A. What if your car battery died three times?

假如说你汽车电瓶连三次息电,你怎么办?

B. Hell,I’d change the brand.

我他妈的,就会换个厂牌。

A. What’s that noise downstairs?

楼下是什么声音?

B. Hell,I don’t know. Could be the cat.

谁知道嘛,可能是猫叫吧!

2. hell,no(yes)! 绝不,死不;(说的是!)

A. (Basketball player)Coach,can I play tonight?

(篮球队队员)教练,晚上我能上场吗?

B. Hell, no! Not with your wrist still injured1!

绝对不行!你手腕还没痊愈。

注:

1.这不是完整的句子,injured用来形容wrist,就是它的补语(comple-ment),因为在介词如with之后,不能用谓语动词(predicate verb),但可用现在分词或过去分词,或用形容词、地点或状态副词。

A. Give me that gun.(Takes the gun)Hell yes,I meant it1.

(Con Air(1997)电影中的对白)

枪支给我拿来,(把枪抢过来)妈的,听见了没?

注:

1. I mean it 我说真的。(强调自己的意志)

3. Oh,hell! 糟了!

A. Did you bring the report?

报告带来了没有?

B. Oh,Hell! Forgot all about it!

糟了!全给忘了!

4. hell and gone 神都遗弃的(godforsaken);如荒郊野外的,偏远的

A. He took Bob and Phil prisoners,then drove to some hell and gone airstrip nobody ever heard of.

他押勃伯和费尔为人质后,驾车到无人听过的偏僻小机场。

B. Did you ever find them?

后来他们两个找到了没有?

5. hell’s bells 恼人,气人,表怀疑;鲁莽地,轻率地,急躁地,大威力地,高速地

A. Hell’s bells! That sure was a tough exam!

妈的!那个考试真难啊!

B. Knowing you,you probably aced it1.

我太了解你,你大概考了甲等。

注:

1. Ace 可当动词,名词。当及物动词后跟it喻“这门考了甲等”。当名词,作pull或get的宾语,如pulled an ace考了个甲等。

A. Tony told me he broke up with Melinda.

东尼告诉我,他与美林达已告吹了。

B. Hell’s bells!He’s told me that a dozen times already.

鬼才相信!他已跟我讲过十几遍了。

A. I can’t buy any tickets to the final game tonight.

今晚总决赛的票,我买不到。

B. Hell’s bells,man,you think you’re the only one who can’t?

怪啦,大家还不都是一样!

A. Dad,I’m quitting school and am going to get married.

爸,我要辍学去结婚。

B. Don’t jump hell’s bells into such important decisions.Let’s talk it over first.

兹事体大,可别轻率,咱俩先好好谈一谈吧!

A. The hurricane came ripping1 hell’s bells up2 the East coast3.

飓风北上凶猛袭击了东海岸。

B. Left three dead, scores injured, and inflicted millions in property damage.

造成三人死亡,数十人受伤,财产损失几百万美元。

注:

1. came ripping 前来肆虐。came是不及物动词表现linking verb的功能,ripping是现在分词作主语补足语,喻“来势汹汹”,两个动词同时动作。go也有此特性,如He went whistling.(他吹着口哨走开了。)

2. rip+up (vt+adv.)此up是副词,用来加强“肆虐”威势。

3.美国飓风多发源于南大西洋,通常北上袭击佛罗里达州等东海岸地区。

6. Like hell… 你的头!根本没有!

A. (Heard that his son got into trouble and will soon be arrested by the police)I haven’t seen you at all these past couple of days.

(获悉儿子出了事,将被警方逮捕,而对他说)这几天没见到你半个人影。

B. Been busy1…

我很忙……

A. Like hell! You’ve gotten yourself into trouble, haven’t you?

忙你的头!你已惹祸上身,是不是?

注:

1. Been busy 在口语化中可以这样简化,在正式文字中不可,要写成I have been busy…

A. I beat you fair and square1!

我正正当当地赢你!

B. Like hell! You cheated.I saw you!

根本没有嘛!你耍诈,我看到的!

注:

1. fair and square (俗语)光明正大地,在此是副词短语,描写beat的方式或全句。

7. what the hell!Oh what the hell! 随便吧!(出于无奈地同意、顺从、接受);what the hell?!怎么回事?(遇出其不意的坏事时的讶异)

A. We’ve decided on Vietnamese food tonight. You coming1?

今晚我们决定上越南馆子吃饭,要不要一道去?

B. Oh,what the hell.I guess it’s as good as any.

随便吧!还不是都一样。

注:

1. You coming?是Are you coming with us?之简略,口语中用之。

A. Here.Plug this in. It should work.

来把这东西插上电,应该可以运转。

B. What the hell1?! Nothing happened!

咦!没有转啊!

注:

1. What the hell?! 咦!怎么啦?(表示不解之意)。完整的句子应该是What the hell is it?

Hell 的有关词汇——加强语气功能

1. hellacious 极……,特……,好的;不好的;具威力或暴力性的,大的

A. The Jazz1 have had their butts kicked2 before, suffering3 a hellacious 86-64 defeat in the second round against the Spurs4.

(N.Y.Post,6/8/98)

爵士队曾被痛宰,季后二轮晋级赛与马刺队对抗时,爵士一败涂地,以64-86称臣。

注:

1. Jazz 指驻犹他州爵士职业篮球队。此句Jazz指其队员,为多数名词,故用have。

2. butts 指屁股(buttocks),Kicked用过去分词,屁股被踢之意,引喻“被宰”。

3. suffering 遭受,用的是现在分词,是“…and suffered…”的简化,连接词要消去。

4. Spurs 指驻德州的马刺职业篮球队。

A. Saturday’s Nor’easterner1 produced a hellacious downpour.

星期六刮的东北暴风雨,带来一场豪雨。

B. Flooded2 my basement with a foot of water.

我地下室进水深达一尺。

注:

1. Nor’easterner 指美国东北沿海刮起的大暴风雨。Nor’的拼音仿美东北人的英语发音。

2. Flooded 用一个过去式或现在式主动动词开句而省去主语,只在口语中适用,于正式书写文字则不妥。

A. They fought some hellacious1 battles during the Second World War.

他们在二次大战期间的战役有些相当惨烈。

B. Some of the worst ones were in the Pacific Theater2.

最最惨烈的有些发生在太平洋战区。

注:

1. hellacious 此处具intense(猛烈的)之意,为形容词。

2. Theater 战区。此处与Pacific组合当专有名词短语,故T要大写。

A. He’s got some hellacious moves under the basket.

他篮下的动作真绝。

B. If only I had half his talent!

但愿我的球技能有他的一半就好。

2. hellish 如地狱般;令人憎恶讨厌的,可怕的

A. An aborion is a hellish ordeal for some women.

对某些妇女,堕胎是个可怕的考验。

B. Especially for those who have been violated.

尤其是那些被奸污的妇女。

3. as hell 极度地,相当的,绝对的

A. My sister gets depressed as hell when she talks about her divorce.

谈及离婚事,妹妹极为郁郁寡欢。

B. Mine gets depressed as hell because she can’t find a boyfriend.

我的妹妹却因找不到男友而十分泄气。

A. Because he1 was bright as hell and wanted everyone to know it, he rubbed some people the wrong way2.

(N.Y.Times Book Review,6/7/98)

他聪明绝顶,自负得很,因此触怒了一些人。

注:

1. He 指当年念大学时兼任参议员副助理的克林顿(Bill Clinton)。

2. rub the wrong way 以“反方向摩擦”,喻“触怒” 。另有Therein lies the rub(问题就在那里),There’s the rub(症结在于……)。

A. I’m mad as hell,and I’m not going to take it any more.

(Network Screenplay(1976)电影中的对白)

我气得要死,再也受不了啦。

A. Failure is not an option gentlemen; we’ve never lost an American in space,we’re sure as hell not going to lose one on my watch1!

(Apollo 13(1995)电影中的对白)

各位:只许成功,不许失败;在太空中,一个美国人都未牺牲过,在我的领导之下,绝对亦复如斯。

注:

1. on my watch 在我的领导之下,在我的监督之下,当副词短语。

A. It’s really snowing hard. Are we still going to go to town?

雪下得很大,我们还要进城吗?

B. Sure as hell not in this weather.

这种天气,才不出去哩。

4. like hell “拼命地”,是强化动作的副词短语;随feel like后当主语补足语,是形容词短语,意为“极感内疚的,甚是痛心的,太邋遢的,不像样的,情况不好的”

A. (At a rock concert) The music’s really loud!

(摇滚乐会上)音乐好吵啊!

B. You have to shout like hell just to be heard!

得喊好大声,才能听得见讲话!

A. They fought like hell,but lost the game.

他们拼命赛球,结果还是输了。

B. It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about how you play the game1.

胜败乃兵家常事,表现运动家精神最为重要。

注:

1. how you play the game 是名词从句,是唯一可以放在介词(此句为about)后面的句型。

A. He felt like hell after hitting his girlfriend, and quickly apologized.

他打女朋友后极感内疚,连忙向她道歉。

A. The coach felt like hell after his team was eliminated.

球队被淘汰后,教练甚感痛心。

A. After a wild night out,he woke up the next morning feeling1 like hell.

一晚喝酒狂欢,次日早晨头疼得要命。

注:

1. woke…he felt的简约,须消除连接词,而like hell是配feeling的补语,是形容词性质。

A. You look like hell1 in those clothes. Go and change!

你穿着太邋遢,快去换衣服吧!

注:

1. 在look后的like hell是形容词短语,作主语补足语。

A. She looks like hell in that dress.

穿那件衣服使她丧尽体面。

A. You look like hell. Is something the matter?

你脸色很不好,有什么不对劲吗?

5. than hell 极度地,相当地

A. It’s hotter than hell in here1.

房间好热呀。

B. Then why don’t you turn on the A/C2 or open the windows?

那么何不开冷气或打开窗户呢?

注:

1. in here 此处here是名词,故可前有介词,但独立的here,there皆当副词用。

2. A/C 即air conditioning,air conditioner的缩写。

6. a hell of a(=helluva) 非常讨厌的、差的;非常出色的,格外著名的,非常大的,非常多的

A. I had a hell of a hard time trying to reach you last week.Where’d you go?

上周想要跟你联络真费劲。你去哪里啦?

B. On a cross-island hike.

去横贯公路徒步旅行。

A. That’s a hell of an example.

所举的例子太差啦!

B. Let me give another one,then.

那么,让我另举一个吧。

A. I1 am very happy for David Wells2,he’s a hell of a pitcher. He just dominated the game3.

(N.Y.Post,5/18/98)

我替维尔斯高兴,他是非常出色的投手,他简直左右了全场比赛。

注:

1. I 为明尼苏达双城职业棒球队(Minnesota Twins)经理凯利(Kelly)。

2. Wells 是纽约洋基职业棒球队投手。

3. the game 指洋基队对抗明州双城队时,以完美赛局(perfect game)收场,客队九局上下二十七人无安打,无保送一垒,无失误,客队挂零败北。

A. …USG1 must have realized that there was one hell of a market for his product2…

(N.Y.Times,5/24/98)

美国石膏公司一定晓得他的产品有庞大的市场。

注:

1. USG 即U.S.Gypsum,生产建材的美国石膏公司。

2. he 指与USG签产销合同的发明家傅立(Jerry Free)。

his product 连结石膏壁板角的新种器件(a new device for joining pieces of wallboards)。

A. He lost a helluva1 lot of money playing the slots.

他玩吃角子老虎输掉一大笔钱。

B. That’s the plight of most gamblers.

这是多数赌客的苦经。

注:

1. a“hell of a” 说快时便成了“helluva”。

7. from hell (为学生口语)艰难的,不可轻忽的;引人注目的;有效的;格外的,异常的(尤指负面);坏的,差的,令人憎恶的;好的,惹人喜欢的

A. That was an English final exam from hell.

那个英文期末考太深太难。

A. He owns a black hot rod1 from hell.

他拥有一部引人注目的黑色改装跑车。

注:

1. hot rod 旧车改装,减轻使之加速。

A. Cookie’s1 Wings2 From Hell3

(摘录自网络)

库吉辣味鸡翅膀烹调法

注:

1. Cookie 男士名(昵称)。本句为食谱上之标题。

2. Wings 指鸡翅膀,美国人吃油炸鸡翅膀,沾蜂蜜混芥末酱、辣椒酱、蕃茄酱等,不用酱油。

3. From Hell 此处含又辣又好吃之意,是形容词,或称限定词(deter miner),此处是放在后面来形容Wings。形容名词,应放在前面或后面全视习惯用法。

A. The rudiments from hell are “diabolical” evolutions of standard rudimems.1 They are designed to be awkward2,difficult or impossible….

(摘录自网络)

有效基本打鼓法是由基本打鼓法巨变而成,是不顺手,难练,甚至无法练成……

注:

1.此例句是形容Terry’s “Melodic Drumming and the Ostinato”巧妙打鼓法录影带。文中又用you won’t be disappointed!(绝不会失望!)It’s amazing!(很惊奇!)等语赞赏之。

2. awkward 指其鼓槌的操作法不顺手(打来很别扭)之意。

A. How’d you do in Organic Chemistry last semester?

上学期有机化学考得怎么样?

B. I flunked,just like most of the others.We had this T/A1 from hell.

跟多数同学一样不及格。教我们的那个助教很差劲。

注:

1. T/A 即teaching assistant(助教)的缩写。

A. A lot of people I know won’t buy songs by certain rap1 artists.

我认识的人中有很多拒不买某些说唱歌手的歌。

B. I can see why.Their so-called “songs” are lyrics from hell.

这也难怪!他们的所谓“歌曲”有令人憎恶的歌词。

注:

1. Rap 指曾在美国一度流行的说唱。

A. The doctor was shot by an AK-47,which left a large hole in his thigh.

医生被AK-47机枪射伤,他大腿上留下一个大伤口。

B. An AK-47! Now,that’s a weapon from hell.

AK-47的确是威力强大的武器呀!

A. She gives you that smile from hell.

她献出的微笑令人如痴如醉。

8. hope to hell 但愿,谢天谢地

A. The weather report predicts heavy thunderstorms in the Rockies this weekend.

气象报告预测,本周末洛基山脉将有大雷阵雨。

B. Hope to hell it doesn’t rain.We’ve spent weeks planning this climb!

真希望不会下雨,我们已花了好几个礼拜安排这次爬山活动。

9. the hell 除了强化语气外,也表示“情急、烦躁、生气、不耐烦;半信半疑、轻视”

A. I’m going out on a date with my girlfriend.

我出去赴女朋友的约会。

B. The hell you are! Not on the night before your finals!

你敢!明天你期末考,不准出去!

A. There isn’t much we can do about it now.

现在事情几乎到了无能为力的地步。

B. The hell there isn’t!

谁说不是?

A. Where’s his place?

他住哪儿?

B. Way the hell over on the other side of town.

就在市区那边。

A. Dozens of residents were poised to flee their homes Sunday after a wildfire ravaged more than 700 acres in remote southwestern Douglas County….“We were there about three minutes when they blew the hurricane whistle,which means get the hell out of there,” said Alex Willard,16,of the Trumbull Volunteer Fire Department.

(Rocky Mountain News,5/18/98)

周日在道格拉斯郡西北偏僻地区,野火烧毁700亩土地后,数十个居民离家逃避……德仑陂乡志愿消防队十六岁队员维拉德说:“我们来到现场约三分钟后,他们就拉暴风警报——意思是要大家火速撤离现场。”

A. “It’s strange, but as a coach I think after about the fifth week, sixth week2,I began to really know… what3(the players) respond to,” he said, smiling. “And it’s just two things: Having your back to the wall,and kicking the hell and beating4 the hell and working the hell out of them during the week5.”

(St. Louis Post-Dispatch,10/26/97)

他莞尔说:“说来奇怪,不过,我当教练到第五、第六周后就开始真正体会到……(球员对我练兵法)的反应。用两个办法就好:其一,练习背水一战;其二,自周一到周五连吼带逼,叫他们勤奋操练。”

注:

1.密苏里大学的橄榄球队教练谈他的操兵法。

2. fifth week… 大专橄榄球赛季长十四周。

3. what 指操兵法(what methods of training)。

4. kicking,beating 借“拳打脚踢”喻“连吼带逼”。

5. during the week 周一到周五练球,周末比赛。

A. I ask him1 what he thinks about Clinton.

我问他,对克林顿的看法如何?

B. I don’t want to dwell on Clinton’s move to the right2…and I could dwell the hell out of it.I can only think Clinton wants to maintain his popularity…

(N.Y.Times Magazine,5/10/98)

[他答说]我不愿详谈克林顿向右靠这事……这事本可以讲个没完没了,我只能推测克林顿想要保持选民对他的拥戴。

注:

1.该报女记者专访忠于民主党籍的美国电影明星Warren Beatty。

2. move to the right 指民主党籍的克林顿施政却采用了共和党的右倾政策。

10. how the hell(到底怎么样……?),what the hell(到底是什么……?),when the hell(到底是何时……?),where the hell(到底何处……?),who the hell(到底是谁……?), why the hell(到底为什么……?);the hell与以下诸词同义: in hell,in the hell,in hell’s name,均为“到底……怎样”之义,皆在加强语气

A. I want to buy a gun.

我想买支枪。

B. Just how the bloody1 hell are you going to get one? They’re banned here.

此地禁枪,你到底怎样能弄到一支呢?

注:

1. bloody 本作“血淋淋”解,但在此处为形容词,加强the hell语气,the bloody hell作“真个地”解,加How后成了“到底怎么样……?”解。

A. Henry! Long time no see! How the hell are you1?

亨利!很久没见!你可真好吗?

B. Fine,thanks,and yourself?

很好,多谢,您呢?

注:

1.这样的俗话通常只对有深交者说的。

A. What are the Latin1 names for the two bones of the forearm?

前臂两个骨头的学名是什么?

B. How the hell should I know? I didn’t study anatomy.

我怎么会晓得?我又没学过解剖学。

注:

1. Latin names 身体部位的名称皆以拉丁文命名,故称之为“学名”。

A. What the hell’s going on1 between you two?

你俩之间到底是个什么关系?

B. Nothing,dad.We’re just friends,that’s all.

爸,没有什么,我们只是普通朋友而已。

A. Then why lock your bedroom door?

那么,何必锁上卧室门呢?

注:

1. What’s going on+around.at,between或for等介词短语,通常喻“事情、举止、行为、关系”之不好或不正当者,如What’s going on around here?(这里到底发生什么事?在搞什么鬼?)What’s going on at his place?(他家到底发生什么事?)How long has this been going on for?(这件事情到底有多久了?)

2. Then why lock…door? 是Then why did you lock…door?的省略。

A. When the hell were they supposed to get here? It’s six already!

现在都已经六点了,他们到底几点会到?

B. They said five.They must’ve gotten caught in traffic.

说是五点到,大概塞车吧。

A. Where in hell’s name have you been for the past two days?

这两天你到底跑去哪里了?

B. I went mountain climbing1 with friends.

跟朋友爬山去了。

注:

1. go+V-ing 此结构多用于运动及购物,如 Go swimming,go shoping;用在其他方面则有责备与禁止之意,如Don’t go shouting around.(不要乱吼!)

A. You keep calling me every night.Who the hell are you?

你每天晚上打电话给我,你到底是谁呀?

A. Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?

你是什么人敢对我发号施令?

A. Why in the hell do we have to do it your way?

为何要采用你的办法去做呢?

B. Is there a better way?

还有更好的办法吗?

11. the hell of it is 最令人困恼的是,最令人惊讶的,或出其不意的是……

A. We’d like to fly to Vegas for the computer exhibition.

我们想飞去赌城,参观电脑展售会。

B. Me,too. The hell of it is finding a hotel room. They’re booked solid!

我也想,最令人困恼的是找不到旅馆住,房间全都订光了。

Hell 的其他有关短语及格言

1. all hell broke loose 天下大乱

A. …With the javanese,you don’t see the violence coming until it happens1, …Once this politeness and deference and controlled demeanor collapse2, then all hell break loose.

(N.Y.Times,5/9/98)

……对爪哇人来说,非到暴乱临头无法知道暴乱将会发生。他们的礼貌,顺从的性格,泰然的仪表全部瓦解时,才会天下大乱。

注:

1.一外籍人类学家谈论当时印尼社会不安情形。

2. politeness,deference,controlled demeanor 该专家说印尼人,平时待人客气,顺从,不轻易表露情绪。

2. all over hell’s half acre 到处

A. The pent-up demand to drive downtown snapped Sunday, unleashing a torrent of cars that brought Olympic traffic to a crawl and caused backups that officials said prevented crowds from getting to events on time. “It’s backed up all over hell’s half-acre,” said Joe Stapleton of the Georgia Department of Transportation.

(The Atlanta constitution,Metro Edition,7/29/96)

周日想开车进城看奥运会的人太多,车辆如水库放水般涌进来,使道路堵住,车辆如同蜗牛。据官方说,车子塞得群众都无法过马路,不能及时到场。乔治亚交通部的斯代普顿说:“到处塞车。”

A. Well,right about now,I’m travelling quite a bit with my film “Shaft of Light”, It’s being shown at festivals all over hell’s half acre,and I’m going when I can.

(摘录自网络)

那么,我最近常上路放映自制影片《一道光线》。该片在各地影展放映,我一有空就去。

3. a snowball’s chance in hell 不可能的事,一点机会都没有

A. I1 work with 5342 guys,and every damned one of them has a great idea for a park in his district…. I get so tired of hearing the phrase ‘national treasure.’ There is not one snowball in hell’s chance of the park service getting more money.

(U.S.News & World Report,6/19/95)

我工作接触五百三十四个家伙,每个人对他们所代表的行政区内公园都打主意……反复听到“国宝级”一语,都已经厌烦,国家公园管理局多得到一点经费是不可能的。

注:

1.美国众议院国家公园管理局委员会小组主席暨犹他州共和党的议员抱怨太多人争取经费,维护历史性公园,僧多粥少,经费难有着落。

2. 534 guys 美国众议院各州代表总数。

A. I know l have a snowball’s chance in hell of having the winning $10 million number….

(USA Today,1/28/94)

我知道赢得头奖千万美元彩票号码的机会渺茫得很。

注:

撰文者于接到上面印有“头奖在望”字样的出版家大摸彩(Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes)通知单后所说的话。

A. This bill doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of passing.

本提案不可能通过。

4. charge hell with a bucket of water 采取极端措施,卖命地 (支持等)

A. The election1 was ill-fated2 by the fact that few Americans were committed to Mr. Clinton,McCurdy,…or any other Democrat to the point where they would charge hell with a bucket of water to save them. Blacks, to young, Hispanics3 and just ordinary people did not vote in meaningful numbers.

(Indianapolis Recorder,12/24/94)

由于投靠克林顿及麦氏等民主党候选人的选民,甚少愿意卖命地支持候选人,所以选举注定失败。凡黑人、年轻人、住美西语系人士,甚至一般老百姓,其投票率皆低得无法举足轻重。

注:

1. The election 指1994年美国中期选举(选州长、众参议员等,有别于每隔四年——1996年,2000年……选总统、副总统的“大选”)。

2. ill-fated 注定失败。当时,克林顿及民主党居于政治弱势。

3. Hispanics 泛指住在美国的西班牙语系人士,亦即来自中南美洲及加勒比海地区之西裔。

5. come hell or high water 无论有多大的困难、障碍、麻烦

A. The challenge facing Canada’s Liberal govemment is unpleasant. To whittle away the debt, it must chop the government’s fiscal deficit, which ran to $28 billion, or 5.2% of GDP, this fiscal year Finance Minister Martin promises to cut that figure to 3%of GDP over the next two years…. “It’s a target we’ll meet,come hell or high water,” Martin said….

(Time International,1/23/95)

加拿大自由党政府面对烦人的挑战,要砍除国库赤字,得削减本会计年度占国民总产值5.2%,高达$280亿的财政赤字。财政部部长马丁答应今后两年内将该5.2%降至3%……马丁说:“无论有多大的困难,一定要达到目标……”

6. for the hell of it 只是瞎闹,纯粹为了闹着玩的

A. I don’t swear for the hell of it. Language is a poor enough means of communication.We’ve got to use all the words we’ve got.Besides,there are damn few words anybody understands.

(Inherit the Wind(1960)影片中的对白)

我并不为了闹着玩而说粗话,作为沟通工具,语言已嫌不足,我们掌握的词汇得统统搬出来用,再说,每个人所懂的字数少之又少。

7. full of hell 放荡不羁的,不受拘束的

A. Out of uniform,just flapping his jaw1,he2 can be equally hard to handle3. “He’s full of hell,with a lust for living” is how his agent,Bob Woolf, puts it.

(People Magazine,2/1/88)

卸下战袍的他,信口开河时一样难以应付。他的代理沃尔夫这样说:“他放纵,对生命有欲望。”

注:

1. flapping his jaw 信口开河,口不择言。

2.文中指的是华盛顿红人职业橄榄球队队员Dexter Manley。

3. equally hard to handle 一样难以应付,喻披挂上阵的他,也一样猖狂。

8. hell hath no fury like a woman scorned 被侮辱的女人报复心重

A. …there are some women who will use this strange twist of the laws1 to suit their own purposes.We should be aware that hell hath2 no fury like a woman scorned and if a woman feels slighted or overlooked3,there are those among them who will resort to chicanery to get their points across and those women are not above telling outright lies4 in order to achieve their purpose.

(L.A. Sentinel, 7/12/95)

……有些女人为了达到自己的目的会利用该被扭曲的法律。我们应该晓得,被侮辱的女人报复心重,某些女人只要有被冷落或被疏忽的感受,就会常靠狡辩,甚至公然撒谎来达到目的。

注:

1. strange twist of the laws 根据美国法律,俟证据确凿之后方可判定有罪,但某些性骚扰案反开倒车,不分青红皂白,男方屡屡败诉,认为此法条已被扭曲。

2. hath(古英语)has。

3. slighted or overlooked 有的女士们婉拒男主管所献的殷勤而被男方打入冷宫后,会产生对加薪与升迁绝缘的感觉。

4. not above telling outright lies 会公然说谎。above+V-ing是不屑做……之事,V-ing是动名词。

A. …here’s a nice, successful woman1 who was abused by her exhusband and is having trouble with the new man in her life being honest…. But when she decides to take matters into her own hands, the moment anybody decides to be the judge, jury and executioner, you’ve really decided to go into a dark area2. It’s the age-old story that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned。

(The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 5/5/96)

……[我演]一个事业成功的良家妇女,被前夫欺负,同时也为新欢的不老实所困扰……不过,当她决定自行处理这些问题时,一旦任何人想要对付她,该角色实际上进入了黑暗面。正如一句古谚所说:被侮辱的女人报复心重。

注:

1. woman 指41岁黑人女星Lynn Whitfield在一部A Thin Line Between Love & Hate(1996)电影中,谈她扮演一个被欺负、被遗弃的妇人的故事。

2. dark area 借“黑区”喻“由良家妇女演变为报复心重的泼妇”。

9. hell on wheels 难以应付的,难以控制的;惊人的;有冲劲的,不罢休的

A. As the track1 moved deeper and deeper into the wilderness2,towns called“hells on wheels” sprang up practically overnight to accommodate the laborers. Usually a single main street with a general store and a string of saloons,these towns flourished for short spurts then closed down as soon as the track pushed on.

(The Transcontinental Railroad(Elish,1993)第六章)

铁道伸入荒野内陆,“新兴市镇”如雨后春笋般茁起。这些地方通常有一条街道,一家杂货店,连串的酒吧,是为了筑路工人而兴起的。铁道铺好后,接着如昙花一现,人走了,楼也空了。

注:

1. track 指美国联合太平洋铁路公司(Union Pacific Railroad)当年的铁道。

2. wilderness 指荒僻待开发的西部,当时美国铁道建筑是由东而西。

A. Some skate solo, others in packs-either way, they are hell on wheels. They should be banned from resorts, where vacationers want relaxation,not a roller derby.1

(Hotel & Motel Management,9/18/95)

溜轮冰者无论单独的,或是成群的,都难以应付。度假胜地应杜绝他们,旅客想望休闲,不愿受到骚扰。

注:

1. roller derby 美国在1940至1950年代流行在椭圆形木板跑道上溜轮冰,十分喧哗,成群的选手争先恐后地来参加比赛。

A. Beginning in the sixth grade Gund1 attended Groton2, an American version of an English boarding school. He played football and hockey, rowed in the four-man crew3 and was, one classmate remembers, “hell on wheels.” He was one of those disciplinary problems,but in a good way. Why were you late for class? I was just fishing, lost track of time4. Things like that.

(Sports Illustrated, 1/12/98)

根德自小学六年级开始就读葛罗顿,那是一所仿照英制的寄宿学校,在那儿打橄榄球,打冰球,划八桨赛船。一位同学回忆说,他有劲,不罢休。他纪律上是个问题学生,不过是善意的,诸如问他“为何上课迟到”?“我去钓鱼,把时间给忘了”如此而已。

注:

1. Gordon Gund 是位盲人,乃美国克里夫骑士职业篮球队(Cleve and Cavaliers)的东家。

2. Groton 美国麻省一私立寄宿学校,美国小罗斯福总统(FDR)曾在此就读。

3. four-man crew 四人队伍,每人操两只桨,英语行话叫“eightoar”。

4. lose track of time track是“痕迹、轨道、联系”,意谓“与时间失去联系”。

5. Things like that 就是这样一回事。口语省去动词。

10. I’ll see you in hell first 誓死绝不妥协

A. …the same arrogance1 was present at Standard Oil2. Instead of giving canned quotes,3 though, Standard Oil executives were eloquent. When asked to compromise, one said, “I’ll see you in hell first.”

(PC Week,6/1/98)

……标准石油公司一样也摆过架子,不过,该公司官员对外不用陈腔滥调。被问及愿否妥协时,一官员说:“誓死绝不妥协。”

注:

1. arrogance 摆架子,妄自尊大。

2. Standard Oil 即美国Exxon石油公司前身。Standard Oil Co. of Ohio于1870年由洛克菲勒(John D. Rockefeller)创立,随后在他州亦设 Standard Oil分公司,成立托拉斯。1911年最高法院引反托拉斯法 (Sherman Act of 1890), 判定Standard Oil有垄断市场之嫌,勒令其改组(reorganize)成若干大小企业。

3. canned quotes 借“罐装引言”喻“备好的发言”,也可作canned responses,有陈腔滥调之讥。

11. Like a bat out of hell 飞快地,火速地

A. The bank robbers drove by like a bat out of hell, with the cops chasing1 close behind.

银行抢劫犯疾驶而过,警方在后紧紧追赶。

注:

1. with the cops chasing…chasing是现在分词,在介词短语中做 cops的主动性补语。如是被动语意时,就用过去分词,如with two cops wounded….(有两位警员受伤)。

12. no chance in hell, not a chance in hell 一点机会都没有,绝不可能

A. The foot ball flew 10 feet over the receiver’s head and he had no chance in Hell of catching it.

橄榄球以十尺的差距飞过接球员的头上,他根本没法抓到。

A. Will Twin Peaks1 be a hit? Not a chance in hell.

(Entertainment Weekly,4/6/90)

双峰剧会一炮而红吗?绝不可能。

注:

1. Twin Peaks 《双峰》指美国黄金档新推出的电视肥皂剧,评论家以 boring(乏味的),pretentious(造作的)等字眼谴斥之。

A. “We just played terrible,” said U-M1 head softball coach Carol Hutchins. “We’ve beaten teams this year playing poorly, and today our luck ran out2. If we commit five errors3,we don’t have a chance in hell of beating anybody.”

(State News via U-Wire, 4/15/98)

密歇根大学垒球总教练哈琴丝说:“我们表现得太差。今年来,我们打败一些衰队,可是今天气数已尽,犯了五次失误,要赢任何球队是不可能的。”

注:

1. U-M 全名University of Michigan(密歇根州立大学),于1817年成立。

2. our luck ran out 走霉运,气数已尽。

3. five errors 五次失误,终败给客队。

13. no way in hell 根本不可能,绝对不行!

A. Most people divide the opposite sex into two categories:“In A Flash”and“No way in hell.”

(N.Y Post, 4/29-5/5/98)

多数人将异性分成“一见钟情”型和“不敢领教”型两类。

A. So I decided,Who was l kidding? No Way in hell I was going to make par from there. Eight or nine maybe,but not par. So I took my bogey,and I was happy with it.—Tiger woods

(Sports Illustrated,1/2/98)

泰格·伍兹说:所以我当时在想,我骗不了自己,打自该落点,标准杆数是绝对得不到的,也许打个八杆九杆,可是达标准杆数不可能,终于超过标准杆一杆,也就谢天谢地啦。

14. raise hell 大吵大闹

A. “Many people thought the public would raise hell about cutting programs,” says Sharp. Instead, they are convinced that better services can be delivered for fewer dollars.

(US. News & World Report,3/9/92)

沙普说:“很多人误以为削减福利将引起公愤”。其实,他们相信,减少开支一样能够提供较优的福利。

注:

1. John Sharp 当时任美国德克萨斯州政府会计检察官(State Comptroller)。

15. till hell freezes over 直到永远

A. Bob Edwards,Host:Pat Buchanan1 may be far behind in the delegate count,but he remains enthusiastic about his candidacy. In a rally in Orlando,Florida,last night,Buchanan electrified his supporters, promising he wasn’t about to give up.

主持人爱德华兹:布坎南的地方代表人数虽落后一大截,但他对候选人仍然热衷。昨晚在佛罗里达州奥兰多市一个集会上,他毫不气馁,使得支持他的人士气高昂。

B. Pat Buchanan,Presidential Candidate2: We’re going to fight until Hell freezes over, and then we’re going to fight on the ice.3

(National Public Radio Morning Edition transcript, 3/7/96)

总统候选人布坎南说:我们将一直奋战到底,而且我们一定战胜。

注:

1. Buchanan 布坎南,1996年美国共和党籍总统候选人。

2. Host,Presidential Candidate 属标题英文,故字首大写。

3. on(the)ice 成功在望。描写fight状况。

16. till hell won’t hate it 到大家受不了时

A. We1 debate till hell won’t have it the intricacies of our “exit strategy2”.

(Newsweek,11/30/98)

我们辩论“撤军策略”的细节,直到大家受不了啦。

注:

1. we,our 指美国政府。

2. exit strategy 指美军自伊拉克周围地区的撤离策略。

Hell 当名词合成语字首,也可做形容词或副词合成语

1. hell-raiser 当名词合成语——狂徒、发酒疯者

A. She has also,during various periods of her life,dated Elvis Presley, gone to jail as a political activist1 and belonged to the American Indian movement that occupied Alcatraz2 in the late 1960s. By her own definition, Hashi-Hanta3, now 53, was a hell-raiser in her youth,….

(L.A. Times,Ventura County Edition,5/25/96)

53岁的哈希-汉妲,她与猫王有过约会,因搞政治活动而坐牢,于1960年代晚期参与印第安人占领鹈鹕岛运动。她自认年轻时是个狂徒。

注:

1. political activist 为达到某种政治目的而示威抗议的人。

2. Alcatraz (西班牙语:鹈鹕岛),旧金山海湾之一岛屿。

3. Hashi-Hanta 是美国Choctaw部落的印第安女子。

2. hell-bent 当形容词短语——一味……到底的

A. A vengeful co-worker1 tape-records a young intern2 telling a tale of sex and perjury about a serial liar who happens to be president. This gets probed by a hellbent independent counsel3 who isn’t independent at all, but depends heavily on a group of hellbent clinton haters.

(The Arizona Republic,1/24/98)

[白宫]一位报复心重的[女]同事偷录了年轻[女]实习生同事的电话,扯到一段性丑闻及一连串伪证,此人正是(克林顿)总统。此事被表面上独立,而实则依傍一群厌恶克林顿的人士,并不独立的法律顾问在调查中。

注:

1. vengeful co-worker 报复心重的同事。指美国总统绯闻案女主角莱温斯基(Monica Lewinsky)的同事崔卜(Linda Tripp)。Lewinsky在电话上透露她与克林顿总统亲热之事,Tripp偷录她的谈话。

2. young intern 年轻的实习生,即Monica Lewinsky。

3. independent counsel 独立的法律顾问,指Kenneth Starr。

A. New Orleans—For a man hell-bent about physical play1, New Orleans Saints2 head coach Mike Ditka turned downright cerebral in his thoughts about his team Sunday morning.

(New Orleans The Sun Herald Online, 4/27/98)

新奥尔良讯——新奥尔良圣徒职业橄榄球队总教练狄特卡,一味标榜硬碰硬打法的他,周日晨间谈到他球队时,大发宏论。

注:

1. physical play 指不动脑只蛮横扑杀,讲求硬碰硬的打法。

2. Saints 美国新奥尔良圣徒职业橄榄球队。

A. You’re Scud, the coolest robot assassin to ever be dispensed from2 a vending machine—a coin operated killer hellbent on customer satisfaction.

(SegaSoft 公司网址,5/12/98)

你的名字叫“斯卡得”,是有投币游乐器以来最酷的杀手机器人——一味使顾客满足的投币式杀手游乐器。

注:

1.此系电脑游乐软件新产品介绍,Scud借伊拉克的飞弹为游乐器名。

2. be dispensed from… 得以免除……

A. As if any of us in the transportation business needed additional evidence that a significant portion of the populace is hell-bent to destroy themselves1 without regard to who they may have to carry across the river Styx2 with them, a new study3 is out on air bags.

(摘录自网络)

新的[汽车]气囊研究报告出炉。难道我们交通界人士还需要更多资料证明相当多人一味罔顾自己性命,也不在乎是谁在跟着一起死吗?

注:

1. themselves,they 指汽车驾驶人。

2. river Styx 借希腊神话“地狱之河”喻“不顾性命驾车”之行为不但会撞死自己,而且会殃及无辜。

3. new study 维吉尼亚州立大学在研究汽车安全气囊利用率的新报告中指出:许多人购装气囊后,驾车时反而冒更大的险。

A. The USDA2 and politicians seem hell-bent on destroying the alternative3 food system which we have so laboriossly built up over the last 30 years.

(In Season 季刊(1997)的网址)

美国农业部及政客们似乎一味想糟蹋我们三十年来努力所建立的纯食物[产销]系统。

注:

1. 文中纯食品运动(Pure Food Campaign)全国理事长昆敏斯(National Director Cummins)担心小农产销的有机农产品,万一农业部放宽有机农产品的定义后,大型农场会大规模生产,将会占领小农的市场。

2. USDA United States Department of Agriculture(美国联邦政府农业部),1862年成立,1889年被升为内阁部会。

3. alternative 借二中择一喻有机食物(即天然栽培的,未施化肥的,亦未喷杀虫剂的食物)。

3. hell-bent 当副词合成语——一味……,立即

A. Our1 thermostat,…applies an all nothing form of control. when the temperature drops too low,the furnace comes on,hell bent, to heat up the place. When it gets too hot, the air conditioner’s unleashed, flat out2, to chill out3 the environs.

(摘录自网络)

一般计温表……是不开就关型。天气温度下降太低时,暖气炉立即打开,室内变得暖烘烘的,天气温度太高时,冷气机便会打开,四周又呈现凉爽起来。

注:

1. Our 指一般用的,以别于专用的。

2. flat out 以最快速,如drive a car flat out以最快速度驾车,ran flat out toward the finish line冲向终点,均为副词短语。

3. chill out… 使……凉爽下来,是及物动词短语。

4. hell-bent-for-leather 当形容词短语——一味鲁莽,如脱缰野马般

A. They didn’t call Joe Theismann1 “Joe the Throw” for nothing. He could launch the football a mile2, and like any good quarterback,able to talk a mile3 when the game was over. “He had the stereotype quarterback personality,” recalled teammate Peter Martin. “He was a young,cocky, hell-bent-for-leather sort of guy.

(摘录自网络)

以“掷球王”的绰号称呼泰斯曼实不为过,他球一掷能飞老远,球赛结束后,他与其他好的四分卫一样,也滔滔不绝,大放厥词。队友马丁回忆说:“他的个性与一般四分卫如出一辙,他是个年轻、自大、似脱缰野马般的那种人。”

注:

1. Joe Theismann 自1971-1973担任多伦多冒险者职业橄榄球队(Toronto Argonauts)的四分卫(quarterback)。

2. launch a mile 借“发射”喻“掷球”;借“一英里”喻“老远距离”。

3. talk a mile 以“谈一英里”喻“滔滔不绝”。

5. hell-bent-for-leather 当副词短语——疾速地

A. Shit,outwitted by a mere freshman1. You2 pull out onto the road,hellbent for leather and the early morning tourney.

(摘录自网络)

妈的,被一个新生耍了,只好开车上路,疾速地驶往晨间比赛。

注:

1. 文中内容是一个高年级学生竟被一个新生所骗,说比赛取消了。

2. You 以第二人称代名词来喻自己,中文也有这种语法,如“门票太贵了,我只好回来,谁叫你没有钱的”。


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