中文说－－－－out of the woods

中文说－－－－out of the woods


2007年9月27日，星期四，在西雅图枫树谷（Maple Valley, Seattle）一大难不死必有后福的33岁女子Tanya Rider was found alive, trapped in a wrecked vehicle for 8 days. 医生Lisa McIntyre said during a hospital news conference Friday that while Rider was doing better, she's “not out of the woods yet.”

out of the woods是什么意思呢？

根据Christine Ammer的Cliches一书：out of the woods 意思就是out of trouble or danger －－脱离困境或险境.

其使用渊源久远，可追溯到古罗马时代goes back to Roman Times。剧作家the playwright 普劳图斯Plautus，Titus Maccius（约前254～前184）古罗马第一个有完整作品传世的喜剧家 used it (in Menaechmi, c. 200 B.C.)

woods 指森林。因为森林是容易迷失方向的地方，如果一个人在森林里迷了路，不知道会发生什么危险。故woods作为困难和危险的象征。一旦走出森林，意味着脱离险境，安全了。The "woods" can be a dark and dangerous place for those who cannot find their way out; we hope that they will return safely "out of the woods".When people overcome difficult challenges and arrive safely "out of" danger, we say that they are "out of the woods.

所以上文中的she's not out of the woods yet意思就是：她还未度过危险期。

请看例句：

My business has been terrible all year. But the past 3 months we're out of the woods finally.生意一整年都不好做，但近3个月来终于摆脱困境。

The patient is improving and has been out of the woods.病人正在好转，已脱离危险。