第518期:你替人背过黑锅吗?
Have you been thrown to the wolves?
你有没有替别人背过黑锅?或者被别人算计最终替别人挡了枪?如果有,今天要讲的这个成语就是给你讲的。
英语中有句这个意思的成语:throw someone to the wolves. 字面意思是被扔进狼堆。(画面惨不忍睹……)
简单解释,throw someone to the wolves的意思就是:
– allow somebody else to be criticized or attacked, often in order to protect one
– to sacrifice someone to save the rest
– to abandon someone to harm
– sacrifice someone, especially so as to save oneself
就是牺牲某个人,换来其他人的安全;或者让某个人承担所有后果和惩罚,目的是保护自己或其他人。
这个英语成语源自伊索寓言(Aesop’s fable),原本讲的是一个女人吓唬孩子说再不听话就把你丢去喂狼。
我们小时候大概都听大人说过类似威胁我们听话的话。
除了throw to the wolves,这个成语还有几个变体,意思一样,还可以说throw someone to the dogs 或 throw someone to the lions. 丢去喂狼、喂狗、喂狮子,喂谁都活不了啊……
来看几个例句:
Our boss never hesitates to throw an underling to the wolves when something goes wrong in the office. 只要工作没做好,我们老板就会毫不犹豫地找个下属去背锅。
The investigation was going to be rigorous and unpleasant, and I could see they were going to throw someone to the wolves.
这次调查查得很严,我能看出来他们已经准备找人背锅了。
其实这个成语还有一个变体画面也很血腥:throw someone under the bus…
感谢你的阅读,明天见。