英语口语练习小对话 第754期:智穷计尽,束手无策
Subject:I am at my wits with him.
迷你对话
A: How is your negotiation with the customer?
你和顾客的谈判进展如何呢?
B: He just said one word “no” without any reason. I am at my wits with him.
他只说一个“不”字,却没说任何理由。我真是拿他没办法了。
地道表达
at one’s wits
1. 解释
At one’s wits中的wit是指“领悟力,智力,理解力”。此语的字面意思是“处在某人智力的末端”,也就说某人“智穷计尽,没有办法”了。表示对某事或某人束手无策,拿某人或某事没有办法了,在段语的后面用介词“with”,即:at one’s wits with sb. /sth.
2. 例句
e.g. I'm at my wits' end worrying about how to pay the bills.
我怎样付清这些帐, 完全没有主意。
e.g. I am at my wits' end to know what to do with my son.
我真不知对我儿子该怎么办才好。
e.g. He seemed to be at his wits end with those ticklish questions.
面对那些棘手的问题他也显得束手无策了。
e.g. My boy is such a mischief maker, I am at my wits end with him.
我的儿子是个捣蛋鬼,我真拿他没办法。
Ps 1:表示询问某人做某事进展如何,可以用这个句型:How is sth. with sb.? 例如:
How is your heart-to-heart talk with your girlfriend.
你和你女友的交心话谈得如何呢?
Ps 2:without any reason的意思是“毫无理由,毫无缘由,无缘无故”。例如:
They tore up the agreement without any reason.
他们无缘无故地取消了那份协议。
David looked at Arthur and, without any reason, he felt a strange sympathy for the boy.
大卫望着阿瑟,不知为了什么他对这个孩子产生了莫名其妙的同情。