英语拾零: Under the gun & Gunshy

Under the gun就是一个人为了在限定的时间内完成一项任务，或者是解决一个问题而受到很大的压力，几乎就好像有人拿着枪逼着他把事情干完一样。我们来举几个例子吧。

例句-1: I'd planned to go to the beach this weekend but I had to cancel my reservation. The boss has me under the gun to finish the company's annual program report by next Monday.

这个人说：“我原来计划好这个周末要去海边玩的，但是我不得不把我预定好的旅馆等都取消，因为我的老板非要我在下星期一之前把公司的年度报告写完。”

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例句-2: I can't afford any time before Christmas for parties because I'm under the gun to get ready for term exams. If I fail any of the courses I won't be accepted into medical school next year.

这个学生说：“在圣诞节之前，我不能花任何时间去参加聚会，因为我要为期终考试做好充份准备，压力很大。要是我有一门课不及格，我明年就进不了医学院。”

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Gunshy 又作 gun-shy，是个与战争有关的俚语。gun，枪炮；shy 在这里不是怕羞、害羞的意思，而是指恐惧和害怕。
因此 gunshy 字面意思是怕枪炮声的，说的是士兵在战场上一听到枪炮声就感到忐忑不安、心惊胆战。
后来 gunshy 引申为指一个人由于以往不太愉快的经历而在面临某种情况的时候感到很迟疑不安，也就是一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳（once bitten, twice shy.）

例句-3: All his friends kept telling my brother Bill he ought to get married again. But he's gunshy about having another wife after his first marriage turned out so badly.

他说：“我弟弟比尔的所有朋友都不断地对他说，他应该再结婚。但是，由于比尔第一次结婚结局很坏，所以他对再次结婚感到很迟疑。”

例句-4: John used to travel by plane at least once a month on business. But since he survived that plane crash last year, he's become gunshy about boarding a plane. He'd rather drive whenever possible.

这人说：“约翰过去为了他的生意至少一个月得乘一次飞机。但是，自从他去年经历了那次飞机事故以后，他已经变得不愿意再乘飞机了。只要可能，他宁可开汽车。”

改编: (ZT)