102．出身紫色

［词语］born in / to（the）purple

cradled in / to purple

［含义］出身王室；出自豪门；出身望族

［趣释］【物事喻指】综观欧洲历史，古希腊、罗马以及欧洲其他国家君王所穿的长袍均为紫色。后来，除帝王外，其他王公大臣也能“紫袍加身”。因此，紫色象征尊严、豪华和权势。于是，“出身紫色”［to be born in/to（the）purple］或（to be cradled in/to purple）被用来喻指出身王室、出身豪门、出身望族。

［运用］From a very young age, the princess was aware that she was born in the purple． 公主年纪很小时就已经知道自己出身显贵。

Those born to the purple are destined to live in the public eye． 那些出身高贵人们的一言一行势必要受到公众的注意。

She was born to the purple. It seems no man matches up to her in this city． 她出身名门，这个城里似乎没有配得上她的男子。

From the way William behaves, we may guess he was born to the purple or some thing． 根据威廉的言行举止判断，我们猜他大概出身豪门。

注：born in the purple和born to the purple意思接近，但born to the purple有时含有“像出身公侯望族”的意思。