132.倒下,出场

[词语]down and out

[含义]筋疲力尽;无能为力;穷困潦倒

[趣释]【运动竞技】在拳击运动(boxing)中,拳击手的利益和胜负相连。在比赛时一方被击倒在地,裁判员数到十时他仍倒在地或尚未完全站立起,即判另一方获胜,意味比赛结束。倒下的那一方无缘分享胜利,即倒下,出场。人们用拳击比赛中的结局“倒下,出场”(down and out)来喻指筋疲力尽、无能为力、穷困潦倒。这个成语还可以构成复合名词down-and-out意为“穷困潦倒的人”。英国作家约翰·高尔斯华绥(John Galsworthy)在著作《银匙》(The Silver Spoon)中就引用了这条成语。

[运用]You don't realize, I suppose, that I'm down and out? 你大概还不知道我已筋疲力尽了吧?(高尔斯华绥语)

Her father has been down and out ever since the factory closed. 自从工厂关闭后,她的父亲一直穷困潦倒、灰心丧气。

I'll never forget the good turn you did for me when I was down and out. 我将永远不会忘记在我穷困潦倒的时候你对我的恩惠。

A crowd of down-and-outers clustered around the soup kitchen near the church. 一群贫困潦倒的人围在教堂旁的施舍所四周。