还记得 bite head off 和 bite the dust 的寓意吗?今天又多了一个关于 bite 的习语 bite tongue,字母意思是"咬舌头“,想象一下,咬住舌头是不是很难出声,所以 bite tongue 可以意为”尽力忍耐保持沉默,欲言又止“,寓意:

bite的各种语言(bitetongue咬住舌头)(1)

to keep yourself from saying something that you really want to say

不让自己说出你真正想说的话

to stop one’s self from saying something rude

阻止自己说粗鲁的话

a way of telling them to stop speaking before they say something unwanted

在说多余的话之前,告诉他们不要说话

refrain from saying something one wants to say, because the moment is inappropriate

克制不说自己想说的话,因为时机不合适

解析:refrain from doing sth 表示忍住不做某事。

bite的各种语言(bitetongue咬住舌头)(2)

例如:

I had to bite my tongue when Peter said that he was hard-working.

当彼得说他很努力时,我不得不尽力忍耐保持沉默。

解析:have to 是半情态动词,后面接不带 to 不定式。

I always have to bite my tongue when my sister-in-law is around.

当我嫂子在的时候,我总是忍住不说话。

解析:sister-in-law 有多种意思”大(或小)姨子;大(或小)姑子;嫂子;弟媳;妯娌;丈夫的(或妻子的)嫂子(或弟媳)“,要根据具体的上下文。

bite的各种语言(bitetongue咬住舌头)(3)

It is better to bite one's tongue than to say something nasty about someone else.

与其说别人的坏话,不如保持沉默。

Bite your tongue! He doesn't want to hear your opinion about everything.

保持沉默!他不想听你对一切的看法。

I have to bite my tongue not to give my sister advice on her new baby.

关于我妹妹的新宝宝的建议,我不得不保持沉默。

解析:还记得区分 advise 和 advice 哪个才是名词的记忆方法吗?

bite的各种语言(bitetongue咬住舌头)(4)

很多东西,看破不要点破,有的时候大智若愚比夸夸其谈好,祸从口出,这也就是为什么人要保持低调的原因。

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