點滴英語天天學第295期:雅思詞彙(135)
1. Expression: have a tiger by the tail
Explanation: To be involved with someone or something that is powerful and could become troublesome or threatening. （遭遇勁敵）
Example：Once you start using heroin, you'll have a tiger by the tail. If you get hooked and you'll need more and more. It'll cost you more money and you might have to steal to support the habit.
你一旦開始用海洛因，就很難找到退路。上癮之後，需要量越來越大，需要更多的錢，甚至還要爲了滿足毒癮去偷竊。
He found he had a tiger by the tail. Despite his promise he had to raise taxes to cope with the deficit. And this helped Bill Clinton beat him in his try for re-election in 1992.
他遭遇勁敵了——爲了應付赤字顧不了自己的承諾了，增加徵稅，結果最終在連任競選中被Bill Clinton擊敗。
Now that I have to work closely with the CEO on this project, I feel like I have a tiger by the tail.
因爲我必須在這個項目上與首席執行官密切合作，所以我感覺我遭遇勁敵。
You've had a tiger by the tail ever since you agreed to finish that big project.
自從你答應完成那個大項目以來，你就一直處於被動地位。
2. Expression: catch a tiger by the tail
Explanation: To become or find oneself responsible for something risky, precarious, or unsafe. （騎虎難下，處境岌岌可危）
Example : You're taking on an organization with reserves you know nothing about. How do you know you won't be catching a tiger by the tail?
你所面對的是一個你一無所知的組織，你怎麼知道你將來就不騎虎難下呢？
Anybody who experiments with drugs is catching a tiger by the tail.
任何做藥物試驗的人都要擔風險。
It has now become obvious that our country has been catching a tiger by the tail with our military intervention in this region—it was foolish to get involved, but it would be catastrophic to leave now.
現在很明顯，由於我們的國家對這個地區的軍事進行干預，所以現在是騎虎難下——介入是愚蠢的，但現在離開將是災難性的。
I believe that Hitler is catching a tiger by the tail in trying to keep all Europe under control by sheer force.
我相信Hitler企圖強行用武力來控制整個歐洲，這是騎虎難下。
