There are many American expressions using the word "hold". This week I introduce them to you.
"Can’t hold a candle to" is a popular expression. It was coined during the time when people used candles for light. Someone who lived in a big house would have a servant to light his way by holding a candle. At first, the expression meant that a person who can’t hold the candle to you is not fit even to be your servant. Now it means such a person can’t compare or compete.
Another expression is "hold your tongue". It means to be still and not to talk. The saying is not something you will tell your friends. But a parent or teacher might use the expression to quiet a noisy child.
"Hold out" is another expression one hears often in sports reports and labor news. It means to refuse to play or work. Professional football and baseball players hold out if their team refuses to pay them what they think they are worth. Members of Labor Unions hold out and refuse to work until they get the work agreement they want.
The expression "hold up (hold-up)"has several different meanings. One is a robbery. A man with a gun may say, "This is a hold-up; give me your money." Another meaning is to delay. A driver late for work may tell his boss, "I was held up by heavy traffic." Someone who was robbed on the way to work might say, "I’m sorry, boss. I was held up by a hold-up." Still another meaning of the expression is for a story to be considered true after an investigation. The same driver late for work could say, "My boss did not believe my being held up by a hold-up. But the police confirmed what I said, so my story held up."
"Hold on" is another expression. It often means to wait or stop. As you leave for school, your brother may say, "Hold on; you forgot your book."
【短语串记】
1. can’t hold a candle to 简直不能与……相比
电器发明之前,各国人都一样,只能靠蜡烛来照明。工匠在晚上做工时,会叫学徒给他拿着蜡烛;有钱人晚上从酒馆、戏院回家时,也有仆人拿着蜡烛引路。仆人和主人的'身份本来就很悬殊了,如果连做人家的仆人、给人家拿蜡烛都不配的话,那么双方在地位、能力等方面一定相差很远。
所以,人们常常用can’t hold a candle to或not fit to hold a candle to来表达“远逊于,简直不能与……相比”的意思。中文里也有类似的说法,如“你连给我提鞋都不配”。
eg. No one can hold a candle to him when it comes to playing the guitar.
说到弹吉他,谁也比不上他。
2. hold one’s tongue 住嘴,保持沉默
3. hold out 不肯妥协(以争取更好条件),不肯复工(以得到更好结果)
eg. The strikers held out for a raise of five cents an hour.
罢工者为争取每小时工资提高五分钱而不肯复工。
hold out 最基本的意思是"伸出"。
eg. She held out both her hands to show her welcome.
她伸出双手表示欢迎。
4. hold up 劫持,抢劫;使停顿,耽误;能成立,站得住
eg. The thieves held up the van and took everything in it.
盗贼劫持了这辆货车,抢走了里面的所有东西。
My application was held up by the postal strike.
我的申请因邮政部门罢工而耽搁了。
None of his arguments seemed to me to hold up.
他的论点在我看来都站不住脚。
5. hold on这里的意思是"等一等,停住"
eg. Hold on a minute while I get my breath back.
稍等一下,让我喘口气。
当然,我们大家都知道,hold on也是个电话用,意思是“别挂断,等一下”。
eg. Can you hold on? I’ll see if he’s here.
等一下行吗?我去看看他在不在。