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174．感情像贼一样深厚

［词语］（as）thick as thieves

［含义］亲密无间；交情深厚

［趣释］【物事喻指】在英语中，窃贼（thieves）不同于强盗（robbers）和夜盗（burglar），是指那些秘密的、非暴力行窃的人（persons steal secretly and without violence）。当然，他们也不属于从别人口袋里“扒”东西的“扒手”（pickpockets）之列。窃贼虽然是歹徒，但他们之间是挺讲义气的，关系十分亲密。于是“感情像贼一样深厚”（as thick as thieves）就被用来喻指亲密无间、十分亲密、交情深厚。成语中的“thick”虽然标题直译作“深厚”，本意却有 “亲密”的意思。正如谚语所说：“小偷在他们同伙之间并不是什么歹徒。”

［运用］Go and ask Smith.They are as thick as thieves, and what the one knows, the other is sure to． 去问问史密斯吧，他们俩关系密切，这个知道的，那个也一定知道。

They have been as thick as thieves for all their lives． 他们一生都亲密无间。

Lionel and Mandy were thick as thieves until Lionel changed his job; now they hardly see each other． 莱昂内尔在调动工作之前，同曼迪交情密切，现在，他们已经难得见面了。

I never came across such a closely-knit family before. They are as thick as thieves, down to the last second cousin． 我来没有碰到过如此紧密团结一致的家族，直到第二代堂兄弟他们还亲密无间。